Our military has fewer “grunt” positions that can be filled with anyone off the street.
We don’t have the menial labor we did when we had a draft
Most MOSs require lengthy training and motivated personnel
Weapons systems are more complex
We don’t need a draft or want one
/---/ And yet other countries have the draft and/or mandatory military service. So there must still be a need.
Details about countries that require their citizens to serve in the military.
worldpopulationreview.com
Countries with Mandatory Military Service:
Algeria — 12 months for males aged 19-30
Angola — 24 months for males aged 20-45
Argentina — De jure - Conscription suspended, but government is authorized to reinstate if necessary
Armenia — 24 months for males aged 18-27
Austria — 6-9 months for males aged 18-50
Azerbaijan — 12-18 months for men aged 18-25
Belarus — 12-36 months for men aged 18-27
Belize — De jure - Conscription legal, but has never been needed
Benin — 18 months selective compulsory for males and females aged 18-35
Bhutan — Training required for males aged 20-25, but full enlistment is voluntary
Bolivia — 12-24 months for males aged 18-22
Brazil — 10-12 months for males aged 18-45, but only 5-10% are actually required to serve
Cambodia — 18 months for males aged 18-30
Cape Verde/Cabo Verde — 24 months selective compulsory for males and females aged 18-35
Chad — 36 months for males age 20, 12 months for females age 21 (females can opt for civic service)
Chile — 12-22 months selective compulsory service for males 18-45, but conscription is rarely needed
China — De jure - Conscription of males aged 18-22 for 24 months service is legal but has never been needed
Colombia — 18 months for males aged 18-24
Congo (Democratic Republic of) — Conscription of citizens aged 18-45 is legal, but degree of usage is unclear
Cuba — 24 months for males aged 17-28
Cyprus — 14 months in National Guard for males aged 18-50
Denmark — 4-12 months training for men at age 18, eligible for active conscription until age 50
Egypt — 18-36 months plus 9 years reserve for males aged 18-30
El Salvador — 11-12 months selective compulsory for males at age 18
Equatorial Guinea — 24 months selective compulsory for citizens at age 18
Eritrea — 18 months for males and females aged 18-40 - service obligation may be extended indefinitely
Estonia — 8-11 months for males aged 18-27
Ethiopia — De jure - No ongoing conscription, but military has authority to conduct compulsory draft if necessary
Finland — 6-12 months for males at age 18, reserves until age 60
Georgia — 12 months for males aged 18-27
Greece — 9-12 months for males aged 19-45
Guatemala — 12-24 months selective conscription service for males aged 17-21, though conscription is rare in practice
Guinea-Bissau — 24 months selective compulsory for males and females aged 18-25
Indonesia — De jure - Selective conscription of 18-24 months service for males at age 18 is authorized, but not currently utilized
Iran — 18-24 months for males at age 18
Israel — 24-48 months (9 years for pilots) for males and females at age 18
Ivory Coast/Cote d'Ivoire — De jure - Selective conscription of males and females aged 18-25 is authorized, but not currently utilized
Jordan — 12 months for unemployed males aged 25-29
Kazakhstan — 12-24 months for males aged 18-27 - may be abolished soon
Kuwait — 12 months for males aged 18-35
Kyrgyzstan — 9-12 months for males aged 18-27
Laos — 18 months for males at age 18
Lithuania — 9 months for males aged 19-26
Mali — 24 months selective compulsory for men and women at age 18
Mexico — 12 months for lottery-selected males at age 18, eligible as reserves until 40
Moldova — 12 months for males aged 18-27 - may be abolished soon
Mongolia — 12-24 months for males aged 18-27, eligible as reserves until 45
Morocco — 12 months for males and females at age 19
Mozambique — 24 months selective compulsory for males and females aged 18-35
Myanmar(Burma) — De jure - Law reauthorizing conscription passed in 2010, but hasn't gone into effect
Niger — 24 months selective compulsory for unmarried males and females at age 18
North Korea — 10 years for males and 5 years for females at age 17
Norway — 19 months (12 months plus 4-5 refreshers) for males and females aged 19-35. However, more than 80% are released from service.
Paraguay — 12-24 months for males at age 18
Portugal — De jure - Conscription is legally authorized, but not currently utilized
Qatar — 4-12 months for males aged 18-35
Russia — 12 months for males aged 18-27, reserves to age 50. May end conscription in near future.
San Marino — De jure - No organized conscription, but military can draft citizens aged 16-60 to serve if need arises
Sao Tome and Principe — (Limited information) De jure - Conscription authorized for citizens at age 18, but is apparently unenforced
Senegal — 24 months selective compulsory service for males and possibly females at age 20
Singapore — 24 months for males aged 18-21, reserves to age 40 (enlisted) or 50 (officers)
Slovakia — De jure - Conscription in peacetime suspended in 2004, but could be reinstated in event of war
Somalia — De jure - Conscription of males aged 18-40 and females aged 18-30 is authorized, but not currently utilized
South Korea — 21-24 months for males aged 18-28 (scheduled to decrease to 18-22 months sometime in 2022)
South Sudan — 12-24 months at age 18
Spain — De jure - Conscription abolished in 2001, but government can draft citizens aged 19-25 in case of national emergency
Sudan — 12-24 months for males and females aged 18-33
Sweden — 7.5-15 months for males and females at age 18, eligible as reserves until age 47; however, only a portion of those who register are selected for service
Switzerland — 245 days (18 weeks training + six 19-day recalls) for males aged 18-30
Syria — 18 months for males aged 18-42
Taiwan — 4 months for males aged 18-36 plus up to four 20-day training recalls
Tajikistan — 24 months for males aged 18-27, an exemption can be purchased.
Tanzania — (Limited information) No military conscription, but selective conscription for 24 months public service is authorized. Current enforcement levels are unclear.
Thailand — 24 months for lottery-chosen males at age 21
Timor Leste — (Limited information) Conscription authorized for males and females aged 18-30 for 18 months of service, but current level of implementation is unclear
Tunisia — 12 months for ages 20-35
Turkey — 6-12 months for males at age 20, an exemption can be purchased after 1 month of training
Turkmenistan — 24-30 months for males aged 18-30
Ukraine — 12-24 months for ages 20-27 - may be abolished soon
United Arab Emirates — 16-24 months for males aged 18-30
United States — De jure - The United States military has been all-volunteer since 1973. But an act of Congress could still reinstate the draft in case of a national emergency.
Uruguay — De jure - Conscription currently inactive, but government is authorized to activate conscription in case of national emergency
Uzbekistan — 12 months for males aged 18-27, shortened (1-month) term can be purchased, though purchaser will remain as reserve until age 27
Venezuela — Forcible recruitment forbidden, but citizens aged 18-50 must register for possible 12 months military training and service. Those who cannot demonstrate compliance forfeit significant government benefits
Vietnam — 24-36 months for males aged 18-27 (females eligible, but are not drafted)
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