Conscription on the Modern Battlefield

The last decade has seen major global shifts in the use of conscription. The United States is watching in real time as Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, China, and other nations increasingly rely on and modernize their military conscription models. At the same time, the United States has not had to test its own conscription processes since the advent of the All-Volunteer Force more than 50 years ago. What lessons can be drawn from the use of conscription on modern battlefields—from operational performance to social, political, and economic ramifications—and how should U.S. policymakers and uniformed leadership be thinking about rapid expansion of the AVF if the nation is faced with an existential threat?