In a Memorial Day op-ed piece, former Secretary of Defense Melvin Laird has called for a system of universal civil service. In "Turning Apathy Into Good Deeds" Laird notes the following:

As I listen to calls for reinstating the draft to meet our military's needs, I fear that we're not looking at the bigger picture. Young Americans do need to serve their country. But they are not all needed in the military, nor do all belong there. What our nation needs is a system of compulsory universal civil service for young people.

Using his experience with the military draft, he discounts it as a source for soldiers. He notes: