A state enacted a veteran$-$preference statute for state jobs. The statute provided that all veterans who were qualified for state civil$-$service positions must be considered for appointment ahead of any qualifying non$-$veterans. The statute was enacted to reward veterans for their service and to ease their transition from military life to civilian life. A female, non$-$veteran applicant for the civil service scored very highly on a number of competitive civil$-$service exams However, the female, non$-$veteran applicant was passed over for employment opportunities that were given to male veterans with lower exam scores. The woman sued the state in federal court claiming that the veteran$-$preference statute violated her Equal Protection rights as set out in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The woman did not dispute that the statute's purpose was only to reward veterans. However, the woman argued that because nearly all the eligible veterans were male, the statute actually discriminated on the basis of sex in violation of the protections provided in the Equal Protection Clause. Which standard of review will most likely be applied to determine whether the veteran$-$ preference statute violates the Equal Protection Clause? Strict scrutiny, because the statute discriminates on the basis of sex Rational basis, because the statute discriminates on the basis of sex. Rational basis, because the statute does not discriminate on the basis of any suspect classification Intermediate scrutiny, because the statute discriminates on the basis of sex.