Though the possibility of a draft seems far away, the implications of mandatory military service would greatly affect Penn State students.

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., introduced a bill in Congress to reinstate the military draft. The legislation would establish a system in which all Americans and legal permanent residents between the ages of 18 and 26 would be subject to military, or other types of national service.

"I agree with the war in some parts, and in others I don't," said Matt Ashton (freshman-premedicine). "But even if I don't agree with it all, I'd still go if my number came."

Though Ashton said he is more willing to accept the idea of military service since he comes from a military family and is a member of the Navy ROTC, other Penn State students said they would also go if there was a draft and they were chosen.

"I would gladly go," Dave Mahan (junior-industrial engineering) said. "People are always willing to exercise their rights but they are not willing to fight for them."

Not everyone is in favor of mandatory service, however.

"I don't think that [a draft] is fair. I'm not offering any solutions, but it isn't fair," said Anne Marie Toccket (freshman-journalism). "It would be a lot of smart guys going to war and leaving their girlfriends, sisters and whatever behind."

Penn State spokesman Bill Mahon said he is unsure how a draft would affect the university.

"It's really just speculation at this point," Mahon said. "That congressman [Rangel] is trying to make a political statement, not pass legislation."

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said at a Pentagon briefing, the government would "not reimplement a draft," and there is "no need for it."

The draft was eliminated in 1973.

Rangel said in late December that military service should be a "shared sacrifice" asked of all able young Americans.

He also said that minorities make up a "disproportionate number" of troops. Since his draft proposal includes all Americans of service age, even those enrolled in college, he said the proposal would eliminate higher proportions of minorities serving in the military.

Rangel, a war opponent, said he believes Congress would be less likely to support war against Hussein if their children were the ones being put in harm's way.

Yesterday, the Pentagon disputed charges that blacks and poorer Americans bear an unfair burden in fighting the country's wars.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.