One of the most significant legal and social boundaries of the current system is the exclusion of women. Despite decades of progress regarding gender equality in the military and the opening of all combat roles to women in 2015, the Military Selective Service Act currently applies only to “male persons.” While there have been numerous legislative proposals and court challenges aimed at requiring women to register for the Selective Service, the law remains unchanged in 2026. This creates a unique demographic imbalance in the “ready” pool, though many defense analysts argue that in a total war scenario, the demand for personnel would inevitably lead to a rapid legislative expansion of the draft’s reach.
