The
Selective Service System in its current form and gave it a two fold
mission.
- Delivers manpower to the
Armed Forces in time of emergency
- Administers an Alternative
Service Program for Conscientious Objectors
Registration Requirements
Who gets drafted now?
Authority for the President to induct (draft) men into the Armed Forces
expired in 1973. The draft can only be reinstated after the Military
Selective Service Act is amended by Congress.
Women are not required to register with the Selective Service System.
What does it have
to do with me?
Section 3 of the Military Selective Service Act states that male U.S.
Citizens and male aliens residing in the U.S., who are between the ages
of 18 and 26, are required to register. Men born on or after January
1, 1960, must register with Selective Service within 30 days of their
18th birthday.
If you do not know if you should register, or you can not remember if
you already have registered, call 1-888-655-1825 or go to www.sss.gov.
Penalties - Educational,
Job Training, and Federal Employment
So what? Big deal.
What if I don’t register?
Once you reach the age of 26, you can’t register. Men who are
not registered with Selective Service may not qualify for the following:
- Pell Grants
- Supplemental Education
- Opportunity Grants, Federal
College Work-study, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Family
- Education Loans, and Federal
Direct Student Loans.
- Men may also be disqualified
for benefits associated with the Workforce Investment Act.
- In addition, men who do
not register may not qualify for Federal Employment.
Remember:
If you do not register you will not be eligible for these benefits.
Also, many state and local governments require Selective Service compliance
for employment or educational funds.
Penalties - Department
of Justice
Well, can anything else happen to me if I don’t register and I’m
supposed to?
Yes! If you fail to comply with the Military Selective Service act you
could be prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice. Failing to register
as required is a felony. Possible penalties include:
- A fine of up to $250,000
- A prison term up to five
years
- A fine and imprisonment
A Matter of Fairness - What’s the point of all of this?
Fairness. Every man who fails to register in not only breaking the law,
he is directly increasing the likelihood of involuntary service for
those who are registered, should the draft resume. People in the U.S.
have rights, but they also have the responsibility of serving the Nation.
Registration is each man’s responsibility.
How to Register
- By initiating a registration
on-line through the Agency’s web site at http://www.sss.gov
- By filling out a Selective
Service registration form at any U.S. Post Office
- By completing a registration
reminder postcard which he may receive in the mail shortly before
his 18th birthday
- By telephone, if he receives
a registration card in the mail from Selective Service with a PIN
number allowing telephone registration
- At a High School participating
in Selective Service’s Registrar Program
- At any U.S. Embassy or
consular office
- By agreeing to be registered
when completing a Federal student financial aid application or when
applying for entry into a Federal job training program
- By completing the Immigration
and Naturalization Service, “Application to Adjust Permanent
Status”, Form I-485 or the State Department Visa Application
Form OF230
History of the Selective
In 1863, a law was enacted providing for an All-Federal Service
First Draft Laws. President Lincoln needed 300,000 troops for nine months
of service. He asked for a certain number from each state. Options for
commutation or substitution were permitted.
In 1917 (During World War I) a comprehensive draft law allowed for conscription
for duration of hostilities
The Draft
Before the United Sates' entry into World War II the Selective Training
and Service Act of 1940 became the first peacetime draft. About 10 million
men drafted and served. The Act expired in 1947, but was reinstated
in 1948 due to military manpower shortages.
The Korean Conflict prompted Congress to make the Selective Service
System a permanent agency of the U.S. Government. These laws were responsible
for the evolution of the draft into a permanent part of the military
manpower procurement structure.
Facts about the last darft:
- The last man inducted
into the Army entered the draft on June 31, 1973.
- The Draft provided 1.5
million men during the Korean conflict
- The draft continued through
the Vietnam War 1964 - 1973 providing over 1.8 million men
- The draft ended on June
30, 1973
- Registration ended on
March 29, 1975
- 1980 - President Carter
reinstated registration after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan
Problems witht eh last draft:
- Occupations such as pharmacists,
journalists, lawyers, and teachers were exempt from serving if they
were from the South
- World War II - guidelines
for draft interpreted in different ways as there was unequal treatment
of registrants in various parts of the country.
The Fair System: History
- Vietnam War Issues
- College students were
deferred
- Political influence resulted
in preferential treatment
- Minorities and poor were
drafted disproportionately
System Major Reforms
These reforms are in effect today. Students would be deferred until
the end of the semester, or the end of the year, if they are seniors
in college. Men aged 18 and 19 will be the last inductees taken if a
draft were initiated. For a high school student, he is postponed until
he graduates or reaches the age of 20, or if he is in his last academic
year, until he completes it - even if he is 20.
Restructuring of some categories of deferments, particular student deferments
resulting in fewer reasons for excusing a man from service and shorter
deferment periods
A lottery based on birth dates began in 1969
Changes in the first age group: Men reaching age 20 first, then 21,22,
23, 24, 25, 19, and lastly 18
Classification Process
Registrant files paperwork stating nature of claim
Board reviews claim - registrant may appear to describe his circumstances
The board votes on the claim
Classification Process
Example: Conscientious Objector
Religious, moral, or ethical beliefs prohibit him from participating
in war
Usually assigned to non-combat duty or civilian service
Classification Process
Example - Ministerial Student
Those studying to be a priest, minister, or rabbi
Allowed to stay in school if making satisfactory progress
Individuals who are supporting someone and whose absence would result
in unreasonable hardship on this person
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