[PapaBear3625]

In Rostker v. Goldberg (1981), the plaintiffs argued that exempting women from the draft was unconstitutionally discriminatory. The Supreme Court decided that:

Justice William Rehnquist wrote "[t]he existence of the combat restrictions clearly indicates the basis for Congress' decision to exempt women from registration. The purpose of registration was to prepare for a draft of combat troops. Since women are excluded from combat, Congress concluded that they would not be needed in the event of a draft, and therefore decided not to register them."

Allowing women into combat roles nullifies that reasoning, and re-opens the issue to a constitutionality challenge.

[oh8eleven]

The purpose of registration was to prepare for a draft of combat troops.
I remember that crap decision. If it were true, then anyone drafted should have been forced into a combat MOS ... which never happened.
Also, drafting women would have provided/allowed more men to go into combat. Essentially, the same end result.