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Definition of backdoor draft
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
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Time Traveler for backdoor draft
The first known use of backdoor draft was in 2003
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