Some senior army officials believe industrial age solutions are being applied to information age problems. This is not conducive given the extent of contextual change between the 20th and 21st centuries. A prime example occurred in 2015 when the Department of Defense stopped excluding women from combat roles. As a result, the Selective Service System was deemed unconstitutional. The system remained viable but the fundamental process of registration was not. Accordingly, the National Commission on National, Military, and Public Service was created to explore the issue and develop recommendations for Congress. Likely, aspects of the current military system will change. This monograph argues that we have an opportunity for public discourse on a new model for part of the American military establishment. Generally, America has shifted between two variations of military establishment. Traditionally, it has been an all-volunteer force. On certain occasions however, compulsive service (a draft) was applied, usually in response to war. Compulsive training or universal military training however is a third variation which has never been adopted, only promoted. It can easily be argued that each of these systems possess properties which have applicability in the future. This monograph asserts that a future military establishment should encompass components of all three into a hybrid variant called "Selective Military Training." Doing so capitalizes on the strength and culture of the all-volunteer force while also preparing viable operational and strategic reserves for future war without overburdening the military establishment or society in general.

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)