Pentagon recommends requiring women to register for the draft

The Pentagon is recommending that women be required to sign up for the military draft, saying it would be beneficial to the military, according to a Defense Department report to Congress obtained by The Washington Times.

“It appears that, for the most part, expanding registration for the draft to include women would enhance further the benefits presently associated with the Selective Service System,” the report said.

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The report said 11 million people would be added to the Selective Service System if women were required to take part in the draft. 

Only male U.S. citizens between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to register in the draft currently, which results in a pace of 2 million additions each year, according to the report.

Former Defense Secretary Ash Carter opened all combat jobs to women in 2015, spurring many to question whether women should be included in the draft in the future. 

The federal government has never ordered women to sign up for the draft; however, Congress mulled requiring women to register for the draft last year in an annual defense policy bill. 

The bill was abandoned, but the National Defense Authorization Act that did pass requires a review of the draft registration system.