backdoor draft

noun

US

: the recall of military personnel to active duty or the extension of active military duty beyond the originally contracted time in order to maintain troop strength

The Guard and the Reserve have been turned into almost active duty, and you have what is a backdoor draft that has been put into effect.

—John Kerry, quoted in Federal News Service, 2 June 2004

Word History

First Known Use

2003, in the meaning defined above

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