Only Children

[erpowers]

Why are so many only children, especially males, dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, the military has a rule that only sons are not supposed to be sent to war. Can only children request to be sent to war and then the military will send them? I am alternating between children and sons because I have never known if the rule is supposed to apply to female only children. What is going on? I was just reading a little of the story of a woman who lost her only child in Iraq. I have heard stories like this throughout the war. Another couple, who were from Texas lost their daugther, their only child, in Iraq. In addition, another man lost his only son in Iraq. So why is this happening?

[notadmblnd]

1. That "rule" is a myth

there's nothing that will stop them from taking your only son if a draft is instituted.

[erpowers]

3. Just Realized

I just did a search and realized the same things. You cannot believe how shocked I am. For years I have thought that that rule existed. I just got finished reading the Selective Services page on the issue. Your immediate family member has to have died in war for you to apply and it seems that the rule only applies in peacetime. So do you know how this myth got started? I had heard that as a result of the women who lost all her sons in WWII only sons could not be put into war. I realize that is wrong, but how did this idea get started.

[SheilaT]

2. No such rule.

I found this: http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20030116.html