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US Army Makes Major Change To Enlistment As Military Draft Fears Continue To Grow
The US army has made a major change to its enlistment requirements as the White House says it is not taking a military draft off the table.
Concerns about a military draft across America are growing, after many believe that the president has bitten off more than he can chew with the war in Iran.
While Donald Trump insists that his advisors are in negotiation with Iran about bringing the war to an end, the middle-eastern country says conversations of that kind are yet to take place.
The president’s former counter-terrorism chief, Joe Kent, resigned last week after urging the government to ‘reverse course’ in Iran.
He claimed that the war was unjustified, given that Iran posed ‘no imminent threat’ to the US when they conducted airstrikes alongside Israel last month.
Kent also claimed in his letter that the administration ‘started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.’
The White House completely dismissed his resignation note, stating that they had ‘compelling evidence’ that Iran was going to attack the US.
White House are not ruling out a military draft
Many Americans are worried that the government could introduce a military draft, meaning that people of a certain age would be required to go to war and fight for their country.
But while a draft is currently not expected in the US, the White House are not ruling out the possibility.
Speaking about a draft on Fox News, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: “President Trump wisely does not remove options off of the table.
“I know a lot of politicians like to do that quickly, but the president as commander-in-chief wants to continue to assess the success of this military operation.
“It’s not part of the current plan right now, but the president, again, wisely keeps his options on the table.”
Why did America strike Iran?
Both America and Israel, along with a number of their allies in recent years, have described Iran’s nuclear program and missile development scheme as a significant threat to other countries, particularly those in the West.
Their argument has always been that if Iran were to acquire advanced nuclear capabilities, or long-range missile systems, it could endanger Israel, US forces stationed in the region, and various American allies.
Trump stated that the United States and Iran have held productive discussions in recent days, claiming that Iran has agreed not to develop nuclear weapons.
But this is yet to be confirmed on the other side.
Who would be safe from a military draft?
In the event of a military draft in the US, certain groups of people would either be completely exempt from conscription, or unlikely to be called up.
In America, women are presently exempt because the draft requirement applies only to men.
Despite this, there have been discussions about requiring women to register, but no legislation has been enacted to extend the draft in this way.
Individuals with medical or mental health conditions – such as chronic illnesses, physical disabilities, or significant psychological disorders – would also likely receive a deferment or be exempted entirely.
US army makes major change to enlistment
In recent days, the US armed forces have made a number of changes to their enlistment requirements, broadening the pool of people who are eligible to fight for their country.
They have made a notable departure from long-standing age restrictions, which will be welcomed by some, and loathed by others.
The changes come after the Pentagon has deployed additional troops to the Middle East following recent strikes on Iran.
The US forces have increased their maximum enlistment age from 35 to 42, in a unprecedented move.
The minimum age for all branches remains 17 with parental consent or 18 without.
But it’s not the only change that has been made.
The branch has also removed the requirement for recruits to get a formal waiver if they have one previous conviction for marijuana possession or drug paraphernalia.
The military plans to send at least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Mideast in the coming days.
Related Article: Why US Citizenship Isn’t A Requirement To Be Drafted Into War As Tensions Escalate
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