Army and Marine Corps chiefs call for women to be registered for the military draft

Army and Marine Corps chiefs call for all women to enter draft.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Top Army and Marine Corps officers testified on Tuesday that women should be required to register for military drafts, The Washington Post reports. The decision comes on the heels of the Pentagon's recent expansion of combat unit jobs to women in the service.

The Selective Service System has existed since 1917, but it never required women to face the draft and possible military service. Nearly all men between 18 and 26 are required to register, including non-U.S. citizens living in the country, such as refugees. While Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter recently expanded all military jobs to women without exception, the official's testimony on Tuesday represents the first time voices in the Defense Department have come out officially in favor of the change to the draft.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.