Transgender women must still register for the military draft under the Biden administration, according to the U.S. Selective Service.
“US citizens or immigrants who are born male and changed their gender to female are still required to register,” the Selective Service stated on its official website.
While the policy was in place prior to the Biden administration, the White House has expressed its desire to see all citizens, male and female, included in the draft.
“The administration supports section 513 and the registration requirement for all citizens, which further ensures a military selective system that is fair and just,” the White House said last year as Congress considered adding women to a measure in the National Defense Authorization Act that would require them to register for the military draft as well.
Selective Service System spokesperson Micheal Migliara said on Tuesday that Congress would have to make changes that would allow women to register with the agency.
“The Military Selective Service Act authorizes the registration of ‘male persons’, ages, 18-25. In order for the Selective Service to be authorized to register women, Congress would have to pass legislation amending the current law,” Migliara said. “While there is currently no draft, registration with the Selective Service System is the most publicly visible program during peacetime and ensures operational readiness in a fair and equitable manner.
“If authorized by the President and Congress, our Agency would rapidly provide personnel to the Department of Defense, while at the same time providing an Alternative Service Program for Conscientious Objectors,” he continued.
This comes as the U.S. Army scrambles to expand its recruiting programs after falling far short of recruiting goals this year. For the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, the Army enlisted just 75% of its goal, falling 15,000 soldiers short of the 60,000 target.
The recruitment shortage also seemed to prompt the Selective Service to post a tweet on Friday encouraging parents to enlist their sons: “Parents, if your son is an only son and the last male in your family to carry the family name, he is still required to register with SSS.”
Parents, if your son is an only son and the last male in your family to carry the family name, he is still required to register with SSS. Learn more about who needs to register at https://t.co/GYbRK99c09. pic.twitter.com/tzW6uKkyl5
— Selective Service (@SSS_gov) October 7, 2022
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth has since said that a new recruiting task force is coming up with ideas to achieve the service’s 60,000 recruitment target, including a new program that helps low-performing recruits meet academic and fitness standards.
“We want to make sure that there is the amount of recruits that can do that. … The initial results that we’re seeing is this may fundamentally change the way that we do recruiting,” Wormuth added.
