Since the Vietnam era, the United States has relied on an all‑volunteer armed forces that has engaged in multiple conflicts, from the 1983 invasion of Grenada to the 2003 Iraq invasion.
Today, 1.4 million personnel are on active duty while another 850,000 serve in the reserves. These forces are deployed worldwide, confronting North Korea and combating terrorism in Syria, Iraq and other hotspots.
The all‑volunteer model has proven effective. Less than 0.5 percent of the U.S. population serves in the armed forces—compared with 12 percent during World War II—while also reducing the Pentagon’s share of the federal budget from 45 percent in the height of Vietnam to 20 percent today.
According to a 2015 Credit Suisse study, the United States remains the preeminent military power, outperforming conscripted armies such as those of Russia, Israel, South Korea and Egypt. The report evaluated six metrics—active personnel, aircraft, tanks, attack helicopters, aircraft carriers and submarines—and found the U.S. far ahead.
Furthermore, the volunteer force draws from a broad cross‑section of American society. Individuals of diverse cultural and economic backgrounds tend to stay longer in the military, allowing for more comprehensive training and fostering unit cohesion. The armed services also enforce stringent standards for intelligence, health and conduct—criteria that many conscripted forces cannot consistently meet.
However, the same high standards create recruitment challenges: only about 20 percent of Americans qualify for service. During extended conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. military had to call upon reserve and National Guard units for the majority of combat operations, leading to multiple tours for many units.
Joseph Epstein, a former draftee who served from 1958 to 1960, argues in The Atlantic that reinstating a draft could redistribute the burden of war and engage the nation in a more democratic manner. He believes a truly inclusive military would compel politicians and voters to be more selective about which battles to fight and at what cost.
Figure: Soldiers of the 200th Military Police Command conduct physical fitness training at Fort Meade, Maryland, in July 2017.
U.S. Army/Sgt. Audrey Hayes
