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[nuget102]

My main criteria is if they are a male/non-breeding female. Those are pretty much the only dwarves I draft unless a female has some really awesome skills. My reason for this is because I don't want to lose dwarves to melancholy or whatever cuz they decide to use their child to blog a freakin bolt from a goblin or some crap. If it wasn't for that, It would be totally worth drafting females.. But as is, it just isn't reasonable.

After that I look to see who is the best students, because I do believe that governs how fast they learn combat skills. And after that, if i'm still drafting, I look at their actual current combat skills. My drafting for leaders/second in commands (The dwarfs that replace the commanders) is a bit different, instead of student I look for teacher.

And if I'm still looking for troops after that I look at their traits (strenth, agility, spatial sense, etc.)

Of course, I don't draft any dwarves like my legendary stone detailer or weaponsmith

[Aslandus]

I'm pretty basic about it, "Are they currently working while I'm looking for recruits? Are they important to the fortress (assuming we're not in a crisis that requires immediate recruiting)? No? You are now a speardwarf, try not to die"

[Cptn Kaladin Anrizlokum]

My current fortress - if you migrate in, you are drafted. I have a single miner and a single woodcutter not drafted though.
Of course, important dwarves have squads that don't see action as much...

[FallenAngel]

If I have 3 or more of a non-crucial skill (the various crafting types, like bone or stone), I'll choose the least experienced of them and draft them.
They can deal with threats while almost everybody else is safely turtled in with enough food stocks to last years, and a continual source of more plants for brewing and eating.

[Graknorke]

How much I would miss them when they get killed.

[Quartz_Mace]

Wow, I didn't realize people put so much thought into this.

Personally, I just take useless laborers and make them an all-spear militia early on, with a squad of my hunters/Marksdwarves for occasional assistance. Once soldiers start dying, I try to draft those with a personal vendetta.

Hey dude. You're wife and son were killed in an FB accident? Take this spear and spill some giant fly blood!

Hey madam. I'm terribly sorry that you're brother has just had his head crushed by a Goblin's mace. Spear! Now get killing.

[Nikow]

In my fortress, everyone is in army. Just because nobody is too important for me. One month without cooking during season is not big dill, even if i have legendary cooker. He just do not go to fight when everybody will be locked inside. He will get "only" lether armor, meybe when i will be rich he will get better one, but every dwarf in my fortress is in military. Just because i always have too much later, as long as caravans are comming, and because when my all front dwarf freezed in first line, my non-front military saved fortress without any loses.  I lost 34 dorfs who did nothing when They taking down one by one.

Everybody training have one big plus, They stats will rise, even when They will never be in fight, They will be faster and more muscular, so They will be hauling things faster. Even leather armor doesn't rot, or is rooting very slow (i can not be sure, because i have always a lot of leather armor), so clothing problem is not my biggest problem.

[Obsidian Soul]

Aside from the usual "everyone I don't need right now who can hold a sword", I also include my NOBLES in the military and usually assign them as commanders. I'm old-fashioned like that. It gives them time away from demanding various useless things for their bedrooms, and it makes them useful. Also makes the battles more epic somehow (note: I do have to alternate training times, so they can still hold meetings).