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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
WHO MUST REGISTER
Almost all male U.S. citizens, and male aliens living in the U.S., who are 18 through 25, are required to
register with Selective Service. Its important to know that even though he is registered, a man will not
automatically be inducted into the military. In a crisis requiring a draft, men would be called in sequence
determined by random lottery number and year of birth. Then, they would be examined for mental,
physical and moral tness by the military before being deferred or exempted from military service or
inducted into the Armed Forces.
A chart of who must register is also available.
NON-CITIZENSSome non-citizens are required to register. Others are not. Noncitizens who are not required to register
with Selective Service include men who are in the U.S. on student or visitor visas, and men who are
part of a diplomatic or trade mission and their families. Almost all other male noncitizens are required
to register, including illegal aliens, legal permanent residents, and refugees. The general rule is that if a
male noncitizen takes up residency in the U.S. before his 26th birthday, he must register with Selective
Service. For a more detailed list of which non-citizens must register, see Who Must Register - Chart.
DUAL NATIONALS
Dual nationals of the U.S. and another country are required to register, regardless of where they live,
because they are U.S. nationals.
See also Aliens and Dual Nationals - Liability for Service
HOSPITALIZED OR INCARCERATED MEN
Young men in hospitals, mental institutions or prisons do not have to register while they are committed.
However, they must register within 30 days after being released if they have not yet reached their 26th
birthday.
DISABLED MEN
Disabled men who live at home must register with Selective Service if they can reasonably leave
their homes and move about independently. A friend or relative may help a disabled man ll out the
registration form if he cant do it himself.
Men with disabilities that would disqualify them from military service still must register with SelectiveService. Selective Service does not presently have authority to classify men, so even men with obvious
handicaps must register now, and if needed, classications would be determined later.
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Fast Facts
WHO MUST REGISTERSelective Service System
Continued from previous page
FULL-TIME MILITARY EXEMPTED FROM REQUIREMENT*
Young men serving in the military on full-time active duty do not have to register. Those attending the
service academies do not have to register. However, if a young man leaves the military before turning
26, he must register.
NATIONAL GUARD AND RESERVES*
Members of the Reserve and National Guard not on full-time active duty must register.
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
Men who would be classied as Conscientious Objectors if they were drafted must also register with
Selective Service. If a draft begins and they are called, they would have the opportunity to le a claim
for exemption from military service based upon their religious or moral objection to war.
*NOTE:If a man failed to register with Selective Service, Section 12(g) of the Military Selective
Service Act allows non-registrants to receive benets under specic conditions. As a veteran, or parttime
National Guard or Reservist, the man satises those conditions with his DD Form 214 showing
the dates of his military service, or a current military ID card if still on active duty or a member of theNational Guard and Reserves. These documents serve as evidence that the mans failure to register
was not knowing and willful. Therefore, men who served on full-time active duty in the U.S. Armed
Forces should not be denied student nancial aid, loans, or grants; vocational training under WIA;
government employment; and security clearances, on the basis of their failure to register with Selective
Service. As long as the man has proof of his active duty military service, such as his DD 214, or current
military ID card if still on active duty or a member of the National Guard or Reserves, his subsequent
failure to register should not be a bar to any benets or programs, contingent upon registration
compliance, for which he is otherwise qualied.
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Selective Service - Who Must Register
With only a few exceptions, the registration requirement applies to all male U.S. citizens and male aliens residing
in the United States who are 18 through 25 years of age.
Category YES NO
All male U.S. citizens born after December 31, 1959, who are 18 but not yet 26 years old, except as noted
below:
Members of the Armed Forces on active duty (active duty for training does not constitute active duty for
registration purposes)
Cadets and Midshipmen at Service Academies or Coast Guard Academy
Cadets at the Merchant Marine Academy
Students in Ofcer Procurement Programs at the Citadel, North Georgia College and State University,
Norwich University, Virginia Military Institute, Texas A&M University, Virginia Polytechnic Insitute and State
University
National Guardsmen and Rerservists not on active duty
Delayed Entry Program enlistees
ROTC Students
Separatees from Active Military Service, separated for any reason before age 26
Men rejected for enlistment for any reason before age 26
Civil Air Patrol members
Military-Related
Aliens**
Lawful non-immigrants on visas (e.g., diplomatic and consular personnel and families, foreign students,
tourists with unexpired Form I-94, or Border Crossing Document DSP-150)
Permanent resident aliens (I-551 Permanent Reside Card)
Special agricultural workers
Seasonal agricultural workers (H-2A Visa)
Refugee, parolee, and asylee aliens
Undocumented (illegal) aliens
Dual national U.S. citizens
Incarcerated, or hospitalized or institutionalized for medical reasons
Able to function in public with or without assistance
Continually conned to a residence, hospital, or institution
Conned
Handicapped physically or mentally
X
X*
X
X*
X*
X
X
X
X*
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X*
*Must register within 30 days of release unless already age 26 or older.
NOTE:To be fully exempt you must have been on active duty or confined continuously from age 18 to 25.
**Residents of Puerto Rico, Guam, Virgin Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands are U.S. citizens. Citizens of American Samoa
are nationals and must register when they are habitual residents in the United States. Habitual residence is presumed whenever
a national or a citizen of the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Federated States of Micronesia resides in the United States for
more than one year in any status, except as a student or employee of the government of his homeland.NOTE:Immigrants who did not enter the United States or maintained their lawful non-immigrant status by continually remaining on
a valid visa until after they were 26 years old, were never required to register. Also, immigrants born before 1960, who did not enterthe United States or maintained their lawful non-immigrant status by continually remaining on a valid visa until after March 29, 1975,
were never required to register.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
ALIENS AND DUAL NATIONALS
U.S. non-citizens and dual nationals are required by law to register with the Selective Service System.*
Most are also liable for induction into the U.S. Armed Forces if there is a draft. They would also be
eligible for any deferments, postponements, and exemptions available to all other registrants.
However, some aliens and dual nationals would be exempt from induction into the military if there is
a draft, depending on their country of origin and other factors. Some of these exemptions are shown
below:
An alien who has lived in the U.S. for less than one year is exempt from induction.
A dual national whose other country of nationality has an agreement with the U.S. which
specically provides for an exemption is exempt from induction.
[Some countries have agreements with the U.S. which exempt an alien national who is a citizen
of both that country and the U.S. from military service in the U.S. Armed Forces.] An alien who
requests and is exempt under an agreement or bilateral treaty can never become a U.S. citizen,
and may have trouble reentering the U.S. if he leaves.
An alien who served at least a year in the military of a country with which the U.S. is involved in
mutual defense activities will be exempt from military service if he is a national of a country thatgrants reciprocal privileges to citizens of the U.S.
During a draft, any claims for exemptions based on any of the above categories would be granted or
denied by a mans Local Board.
Military examiners make the nal decision about who will be accepted into the military.
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---------------------- KEYINFORMATION----------------------
HEN TO REGISTER
The law requires virtually all male U.S. citizens (regardless of where they live), and maleimmigrants residing in the U.S. (permanent resident aliens), to register within 30 days of their18th birthday. Therefore, to be in full compliance with the law, a man turning 18 is requiredo register during the period of time beginning 30 days before, until 30 days after his 18th
birthday...a 60-day window.
Late registrations are accepted, but not once a man reaches age 26. Men who do notregister within the 60-day window are technically in violation of the law and should register assoon as possible.
A male non-citizen who first takes up permanent residence in the U.S. when he is at least 18years old, but not yet 26 years old, must register within 30 days of becoming a resident. If hefirst enters the U.S. as a resident when he is 26 years old or older, he does not register withSelective Service because he is too old to register. Male non-citizens in the U.S. temporarily(valid student or visitor visa, diplomatic corps, etc.) do not register.
Early Submission: It is now possible for a man to submit registration information early, aslong he is at least 17 years and 3 months old. Selective Service will keep his information on
file and process it automatically later in the year, when the man is within 30 days of reachinghis 18th birthday. An acknowledgment card will be mailed to the man when his registration isprocessed. To submit early registration information, follow the same procedures as men whoare 18 through 25 years old, listed below.
Here are some places to register:
REGISTER ONLINEYoung men may now register online with Selective Service.
AT THE POST OFFICESelective Service "mail-back" registration forms are available at any Post Office. A man canfill it out, sign it, affix postage, and mail it to Selective Service, without the involvement of thepostal clerk. Men living overseas may register at any U.S. Embassy or consular office.
BY MAILA young man may also register by filling out a Reminder Mailback Card. Selective Servicesends this card to many young men around the time they turn 18. Mailback cards are alsoavailable at some post offices. A man can fill out the card at home and mail it directly toSelective Service. Forms will be sent to: Selective Service System, Registration InformationOffice, P.O. Box 94638, Palatine, IL 60094-4638.
CHECK BOXAnother way a young man can register is to check a box on the application form for FederalStudent Financial Aid (FAFSA form). A man can check "Yes" on on the Selective ServiceBox, and the Department of Education will furnish Selective Service with the information toregister the man.
AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOLMore than half the high schools in the Nation have a staff member or teacher appointed as aSelective Service Registrar. These individuals help register male high school students.
See also Proof of Registration
Last Updated February 24, 2011
2012 Selective Service System
x
Page 1 of 1Selective Service System: Registration Information
12/15/2012http://www.sss.gov/when.htm
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
HOW TO REGISTER
The easiest and fastest way for a man to register is to register online. Or a man can ll out a registration
form and send it to the Selective Service System. The form asks for the young mans full name,
address, date of birth, and Social Security Number (if he has one). On a form that is sent in, his
signature is also required.
Here are some places to register:
REGISTER ONLINE
Young men may now register online with Selective Service: www.sss.gov
AT THE POST OFFICE
Selective Service mail-back registration forms are available at any U.S. Post Ofce. A man can ll
it out, sign (leaving the space for his Social Security Number blank, if he has not yet obtained one*),
afx postage, and mail it to Selective Service, without the involvement of the postal clerk. Men living
overseas may register at any U.S. Embassy or consular ofce.
*Provide your Social Security Number to the Selective Service when you do obtain one.
CHECK BOX
Another way a young man can register is to check a box on the application form for Federal Student
Financial Aid (FAFSA form). A man can check Register Me on Box #22 of that form, and the
Department of Education will furnish Selective Service with the information to register the man.
AT THEIR HIGH SCHOOL
More than half the high schools in the nation have a staff member or teacher appointed as a Selective
Service Registrar. These individuals help register male high school students.
See also Proof of Registration
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---------------------- KEYINFORMATION----------------------
Proof of Registration & Change of Address
A registration acknowledgment card will arrive in the mail about 30 to 90 days after a mansends in his registration card. Keep this document in a safe place as proof of registration.
If you have registered using the on-line registration web site at http://www.sss.gov, anacknowledgment card will be sent to you within two weeks.
If you do not receive an acknowledgment card within 90 days of registering, or if you requirea replacement acknowledgment card, please call Selective Service at 1-847-688-6888. Yourcall will be answered by an automated voice processing system. Listen carefully to thedirections, and select the option for receiving your own Selective Service number.
If you move, let us know!After he registers, a man is required to notify Selective Service within ten days of any
changes to any of the information he provided on his registration card, like a change ofaddress. He must report changes until January 1 of the year he turns 26. He may do this byusing the on-line "change of address" page on this Web Site (Click Here), or by completing achange of address form (SSS Form 2) at the post office, or by calling 1-847-688-6888.
Last Updated April 30, 2002
2007 Selective Service System
Page 1 of 1Selective Service System: Registration Information
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS
Men who register with Selective Service are required, by law, to inform the Agency whenever they
change their address. Such notication must be made within 10 days of moving, and if the man has not
yet reached age 26. Men are no longer required to notify Selective Service of address changes once
they are 26 years old or older.
Currently, a man must notify Selective Service of a change of address by one of ve available methods:
Submit a change of address online through this Web site. Go to this page address: https://www.
sss.gov/RegVer/wfAddressChange.aspx, and follow the on-screen directions; or,
Complete and mail back Selective Service Form B, which is the tear-off Change of Information
form every man receives in the mail with his registration acknowledgment card, shortly after he
registers; or,
Obtain, complete, and mail back a Selective Service change of address form (SSS Form 2) at any
post ofce; or,
Call toll free during business hours; 1-888-655-1825 and press 00 after connecting to speak with
an operator; or,
Send e-mail to [email protected]. The Subject Line of the e-mail message should be Change
of Address Notice, and the message must include the mans name, social security number, date
of birth, old address and new address.
NOTE: When reporting an address change, a man may request for a new registration acknowledgment
card, which will be in the form of a letter, showing the new address. Due to the volume of requests, it
takes about 30 days to send a new registration acknowledgment letter.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
BACKGROUND OF SELECTIVE SERVICE
The Selective Service System is an independent agency within the Executive Branch of the federal
government. The Director of Selective Service is appointed by the President and conrmed by the
Senate.
The legislation under which this agency operates is the Military Selective Service Act. Under this law, the
mission of the Selective Service System is twofold: to deliver untrained manpower to the armed forces
in time of emergency in accordance with requirements established by the Department of Defense, and
to administer the alternative service program for conscientious objectors.
A system of conscription was used during the Civil War and again during World War I with the draft
mechanism in both instances being dissolved at the end of hostilities. In 1940, prior to U.S. entry into
World War II, the rst peacetime draft in our nations history was enacted in response to increased world
tension and the system was able to ll wartime manpower needs smoothly and rapidly after the attack
on Pearl Harbor. At the end of the war the draft law was allowed to expire, but it was reenacted less than
two years later to maintain necessary military manpower levels as a result of the Cold War. From 1948
until 1973, during both peacetime and periods of conict, men were drafted to ll vacancies in the armed
forces which could not be lled through voluntary means. Induction authority expired in 1973, but the
Selective Service System remained in existence in a standby posture to support the all-volunteer force
in case an emergency should make it necessary for Congress to authorize a resumption of inductions.
Registration was suspended early in 1975 and the Selective Service System entered into a deep
standby posture. Beginning in late 1979, a series of revitalization efforts were begun in an effort to
upgrade the Systems capability for rapid mobilization in an emergency, and in the summer of 1980 the
registration requirement was resumed. Presently, young men must register within 30 days of their 18th
birthday.
The Military Selective Service Act, along with its implementing regulations, provides that the structure
of the agency will include a National Headquarters, a State Headquarters in each state, plus one for
New York City, one for the District of Columbia, one for Guam, one for Puerto Rico, and one for the
Virgin Islands. The Act and regulations also provide for local boards, allocated according to county or
corresponding political subdivisions. There is also a provision for Appeal Boards, which cover the same
areas served by federal judicial districts plus a National Appeal Board. The Appeal Boards act in casesof persons who do not agree with the decisions of the Local Boards.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
BOARD MEMBER REQUIREMENTS
An important component of the Selective Service System are the citizen volunteers who comprise
the Local Boards, and District and National Appeal Boards. Local Boards, and District Appeal board
members are appointed by the Director of Selective Service after being recommended for their
respective positions. National Appeal Board members are appointed directly by the President of the
United States. However, no matter who appoints these board members, they are all chosen using a set
of guidelines. This ensures that the most competent individuals for the job are appointed.
All four boards have several guidelines in common. Board members must be: citizens of the United
States; at least 18 years of age; not an active or retired member of the Armed Forces or any reserve
component of the Armed Forces; able to devote suf cient time to board affairs; and willing to fairly anduniformly apply Selective Service law, regulations and procedures.
In addition, each board has several unique requirements:
1. National Appeal Board members cannot have served as a member of the board for an accumulative
period of more than ve years.
2. District Appeal Board members must be residents of the federal judicial district geographical area
over which the board has jurisdiction and they cannot have served as a member of a Selective
Service board for an accumulative period of more than 20 years.
3. Local Board members must be residents of the county or political subdivision in which the boardhas jurisdiction and they cannot have served as a member of a Selective Service board for an
accumulative period of more than 20 years.the needs of the Department of Defense.
Local Board and District Appeal Board members may not be employed by a public or private
enterprise to handle Selective Service matters or hold a position in private or public enterprise
with duties that would be incompatible with the duties of their respective boards.
Individuals who are interested in becoming members of a Selective Service board, other
than the National Appeal Board, must apply for the position and be interviewed before
they are considered for appointment. An individual interested in applying for a local board
membership application may do so on-line.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Pbic and Interovernmenta Affairs
Nationa Headqarters
Arinton, Virinia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mai: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.ov August 6, 2008
DRAFT CARDS
IS SElECTIVE SERVICE ISSuINg DRAFT CARDS?
No. A card-style proof of registration is being issued, but it has nothing to do with the draft. No one has
been drafted since 1973, and it would require an act of Congress to reinstate the draft.
Most Americans over the age of 30 remember the draft card which Selective Service issued to each
man at the time he registered. For many years there were in fact two cards: the Registration Certicate
and the Notice of Classication. When Selective Service began to store records on computer tapes in
the early 1970s the two cards were combined into one computer-generated Status Card. At no time was
the card ofcially titled draft card, but it was by this colloquial name that the proof of registration wasusually known.
Selective Service Regulations required each registrant to have his card in his possession at all times.
This requirement was removed from the regulations in late 1974, shortly before registration was
suspended, and it has not been reinstituted.
When registration was resumed in 1980, the matter of issuing some type of draft card was carefully
studied. Based on previous experience, the decision was made to issue a Registration Acknowledgment
to registrants as evidence of their registration and not to require that the proof of registration be carried.
With the passage of the Solomon Amendment linking registration to federal student aid, the Workforce
Investment Act making registration a requirement for receiving training benets, the Thurmond
Amendment requiring registration as a prerequisite for appointment to federal employment, and
numerous provisions in connection with local employment standards, it became evident that many
registrants might need proof of registration in a form which was convenient to carry. Therefore, the
Registration Acknowledgment was modied in 1983 so that all personal information about the registrant
would be printed in a wallet-size box. The registrant may detach and carry it in his wallet if he wishes, as
a convenience to him, but he is not required to do so.
When the new version of the Registration Acknowledgment came into use, there were some allegations
that the issuance of cards was the rst step toward a resumption of the draft. That is not so. The card
is simply for the convenience of the registrant. It is important to keep in mind that only Congress can
authorize a draft - regardless of whether or not some form of card is being issued. Nothing in the law,regulations or operating procedures makes the issuance of cards a necessary step in the resumption of
induction authority.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Pblic and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headqarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov March 9, 2012
LAWS LINKING SSS REGISTRATION TO STATE
DRIVERS LICENSE APPLICATIONS
BACKGROuND
Federal law (50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.) requires virtually all male U.S. citizens, as well as immigrant
men residing in the U.S., to register with the Selective Service System (SSS) when reaching age 18.
In an effort to ensure compliance among young men, many states have enacted legislation which links
SSS registration with the process of applying for a drivers license or state identication card. As a
result of such legislation, in May 2002, the state of Delaware, which enacted drivers license legislation
in 2000, became the rst state to reach nearly 100 percent registration compliance since the Agency
began compiling this data. In that same year, seven other states increased their compliance rates by 3percent or more after enacting similar drivers license legislation.
Maintaining a high compliance rate is of concern to ofcials because it means that any future draft
instituted by Congress and the President in a national emergency would be fair and equitable. Also,
men who fail to register with Selective Service are not eligible for certain programs and benets that the
Congress and 41 state and territorial legislatures and the District of Columbia have linked to registration.
They include student loans and grants for college, most government jobs, and job training. Additionally,
immigrant men residing in the U.S. who fail to register when they are at least 18 years old, but not yet
26 years old, may be denied U.S. citizenship by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
DESCRIPTION OF TyPICAL STATE DRIVERS LICENSE LEGISLATION
These laws are simple and inexpensive to implement. They instruct the states Department of Public
Safety or Motor Vehicles to include a consent statement on all applications or renewals for drivers
permits, licenses, and identication cards. The statement tells the applicant that by submitting the
application he is consenting to his registration with the SSS, if so required by Federal law. Females
are not required to register with SSS under current law. Men 26 years of age or beyond are too old to
register.
Transmission of applicant data to the SSS is accomplished electronically through an existing
arrangement each state has with the data sharing system of the American Association of Motor Vehicle
Administrators (AAMVAnet) at no extra cost to the state.
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Fast Facts
LAWS LINKING SSS REGISTRATION TO STATE
DRIVERS LICENSE APPLICATIONS Selective Service System
Continued from previous page
STATuS OF STATE DRIVERS LICENSE LEGISLATION
As of June 22, 2012, 40 states, 4 territories, and the District of Columbia have enacted drivers license
laws supporting SSS registration. They are: (1) Enacted and Implemented Alabama, Arizona,
Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire,
New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Guam, the Commonweath of
the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia; (2) Enacted But Not Yet
Implemented Maine, Maryland, Connecticut, and Puerto Rico.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Pblic and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headqarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov August 6, 2008
EFFECTS OF MARRIAGE AND FATHERHOOD ON DRAFT ELIGIBILITY
AFTER WORLD WAR II TO TODAY
If Congress and the President were to reinstate a military draft, Selective Service procedures currentlyin place would not treat married registrants, or those with a dependent child, any differently from menwho are single. Regardless of marital or parental status, a man who will turn 20 years old during a yearwhen a draft is in operation, and whose birthday draws a low lottery number, will probably receive a draftnotice. Being married or being a parent will not, by itself, be grounds for a III-A hardship to dependentsdeferment, nor will it place a man in a lower priority of call.
Consideration given to a mans marital or parental status in a draft has varied since the Second WorldWar:
PATERNITY DEFERMENTS
Under the Selective Service Act of 1948, Executive Order 9988 (April 22, 1948) provided that husbandswho maintained a bona de family relationship with their wives or children were deferred in Class III-A.But on September 25, 1951, Executive Order 10292 changed the status of childless husbands. Theywere no longer deferrable in Class III-A, except in cases where they could prove that their inductionwould cause extreme hardship for their dependents. Fathers maintaining a bona de family relationshipwith a child continued to be deferred in class III-A (paternity deferments).
Executive Order 10469, July 11, 1953, did away with paternity deferments, except for those men wholed evidence showing paternity before August 25, 1953. Men whose induction would cause extremehardship to dependents could still qualify for a Class III-A deferment.
From March 14, 1963 to April 23, 1970, the III-A classication was broadened to include all menwho were fathers. President Kennedy issued Executive Order 11098 on March 14, 1963, to expandentitlement to this paternity deferment. For a man to qualify for a III-A deferment as a Kennedy father,there had to be a bona de family relationship in their home between the father and child. Thedenition of a mans child in the regulations of the period included a legitimate or illegitimate childfrom the date of its conception. Therefore, the III-A classication could be granted during his wifes (orsignicant others) pregnancy. The III-A classication also remained available to men, married or single,whose induction would be a hardship to their dependents.
Eligibility for the III-A classication on the basis of paternity ended in 1970. President Nixon issuedExecutive Order 11527 on April 23, 1970, which terminated the availability of the Class III-A paternitydeferment for new fathers if the child was conceived on or after that date. Class III-A remainedavailable for fathers of children conceived prior to that date, and for men who could prove hardship todependents.
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Fast Facts
EFFECTS OF MARRIAGE AND FATHERHOOD
ON DRAFT ELIGIBILITY Selective Service System
Continued from previous page
EFFECTS OF MARITAL STATuS ON INDuCTION PRIORITY
Executive Order 10001 (September 17, 1948) provided that men in Class I-A or I-A-O would be selected
for induction in the order of their dates of birth, with the oldest being selected rst.
On February 15, 1956, Executive Order 10659 made changes in the order of induction within Class I-A
or I-A-O. Men who were married but did not have children were selected for induction in the same order
as single men. Men who became fathers after August 25, 1953, had a lower priority of call within Class
I-A or I-A-O. They could only be called after men without children (single or married, 19-26, oldest rst).
Executive Order 11119 (September 10, 1963) changed Selective Service System regulations. Married
men without children were placed one step lower in the order of call than single men. The local boards
were then required to select men for induction in the following order: delinquents, volunteers, and I-A
single men (19-26, oldest rst), before calling these Kennedy husbands.
The effect of a mans marital status on his draft priority was further modied by President Johnsons
Executive Order 11241 in 1965. It provided that men who married after August 26, 1965, and had
no children, were again considered the same as single men in Class I-A with regard to the order ofcall. However, childless men married prior to that date remained in the fourth order of call in Class
I-A in accordance with the Kennedy husband rule. They could be drafted only after all delinquents,
volunteers, and single and newly married men (19-26, oldest rst) in Class I-A were selected for
induction. President Johnson did not change eligibility for the III-A classication, which still applied to
fathers and to men who proved hardship to dependents.
Assigning different priorities of call for men within Class I-A on the basis of their being single or married
ended with an amendment to Selective Service System regulations (38 Federal Register 13485) on May
23, 1973. Marital status alone no longer affected priority of draft call. Unless revised by Congress or a
change in Selective Service System regulations, these rules would apply in a future draft.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov December 21, 2010
BENEFITS AND PROGRAMS LINKED TO REGISTRATION
Registration is the law. A man who fails to register may, if prosecuted and convicted, face a ne of up to$250,000 and/or a prison term of up to ve years.
Even if not tried, a man who fails to register with Selective Service before turning age 26 may nd thatsome doors are permanently closed.
See also Men over the age of eligibility to register.See also What Does Selective Service Provide for America.
Register Now!- Register online.
STUDENT FINANCIAL AID
Men, born after December 31, 1959, who arent registered with Selective Service wont qualify forFederal student loans or grant programs. This includes Federal Pell Grants, Federal SupplementalEducational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Direct Stafford Loans/Plus Loans, National Direct StudentLoans, and College Work Study.CITIZENSHIP
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes registration with Selective Service acondition for U.S. citizenship if the man rst arrived in the U.S. before his 26th birthday.
FEDERAL JOB TRAINING
The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) offers programs that can train young men seeking vocationalemployment or enhancing their career. This program is only open to those men who register withSelective Service. This applies only to men born after December 31, 1959.
FEDERAL JOBS
A man must be registered to be eligible for jobs in the Executive Branch of the Federal government andthe U.S. Postal Service. This applies only to men born after December 31, 1959.
Some states have added additional penalties for those who fail to register. See State Legislation.
Selective Service wants young men to register. It does not want them to be prosecuted or deniedbenets. If a draft is ever needed, it must be as fair as possible, and that fairness depends on havingas many eligible men as possible registered. In the event of a draft, for every man who fails to register,another man would be required to take his place in service to his country.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov April 23, 2012
HOW TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM SELECTIVE SERVICE
The Selective Service System, and the registration requirement for young men, preserves
Americas ability to provide manpower to the U.S. Armed Forces in an emergency. Here is a
summary of how to obtain public information.
Records of registrants who were born on or after January 1, 1960
AN INDIVIDUALS SELECTIVE SERVICE NUMBER
To obtain your own, or someone elses, Selective Service number, call Selective Service at(847) 688-6888. Your call will be answered by an automated voice processing system. You
must know the individuals social security number and date of birth to use this system.
PROOF OF REGISTRATION
A registration acknowledgment card will arrive in the mail about 30 to 90 days after a man
submits a registration form.
If you do not receive an acknowledgment card within 90 days of registering, or if you require a
replacement acknowledgment card, please call Selective Service at (847) 688-6888. Your callwill be answered by an automated voice processing system. Listen carefully to the directions
and select the option for receiving your own Selective Service number.
REGISTRATION CARD
Description:Shows a registrants name, date of birth, home address, phone number, social
security number, and Selective Service registration number.
How to Obtain a Copy: The registration card is protected under the Privacy Act. To obtain a
copy, a requester must be the registrant himself, or show written permission from the registrant,
or provide proof that the registrant is deceased. A caller my verify that a man is registered and/or obtain a registrants Selective Service number and the date he registered by calling Selective
Service at (847) 688-6888 and providing the registrants social security number and the date of
birth. The information may also be obtained by writing to:
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Fast Facts
HOW TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM SELECTIVE SERVICESelective Service System
Continued from previous page
Write to:
Selective Service System
Data Management Center
P.O. Box 94638
Palatine, IL 60094-4638
Selective Service carefully follows the provisions of the Privacy Act and will not release a
registrants home address, phone number, social security number, or any other protected
information without the written consent of the registrant.
Records of registrants who were born on or before March 29, 1957*
Classication Record
Description: Shows a registrants name, local board number, his classications, and the dates
he received the classications. A registrants classication usually indicates whether or not he
was drafted.
How to Obtain a Copy:The classication record is public information, which is available to
anyone who asks for it. Requesters must provide the registrants full name, date of birth, and
address at the time of registration (usually when the registrant was 18 years old).
Write to:
National Archives & Records Administration
National Archives at St. Louis
ATTN: RL-SLP.O. Box 38757
St. Louis, MO 63138-0757
Members of the news media should also write to the National Archives.
Registration Card
Description:Shows a registrants name, date of birth, home address, and Selective Service
registration number. A registration card may include additional information like a phone number
and/or marital status.
How to Obtain a Copy:The registration card is protected under the Privacy Act. To obtain a
copy, a requester must be the registrant himself or show written permission from the registrant.
If the registrant is deceased, provide a copy of the registrants death certicate. Also provide
the registrants full name, date of birth, and address (including county, if known) at the time of
registration.
Write to:
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National Archives & Records Administration
National Archives at St. Louis
ATTN: RL-SL
P.O. Box 38757
St. Louis, MO 63138-0757
* Men born from March 29, 1957, through December 31, 1959, were never required to registerbecause the registration program was not in operation at the time they turned 18. The requirement to
register was reinstated in 1980, and applies to all men born on or after January 1, 1960.
WORLD WIDE WEB HOMEPAGE - http://www.sss.gov
Information available on the Selective Service Systems Web site includes: the Agencys
Annual Reports to Congress (from 1996 to present), answers to Frequently Asked Questions,
how to register, what happens if a man doesnt register, what happens if there is a draft, and
additional publications. An online registration form is also available.
INDUCTION STATISTICS AND OTHER HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Some of this information is available on the Selective Services Web site at http://www.sss.gov.
More detailed information is made available to the public in the Selective Service Systems
Annual Reports to Congress, which have been issued annually or semiannually since 1940.
These are available at Federal Depository Libraries nationwide. Ask your local library for the
address of a Federal Depository Library nearest you.
FOIA REGULATIONS AND ANNUAL REPORT
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations can be found in 36 CFR 1662.
To obtain a copy of the Selective Service Systems FOIA Annual Report, please see the
Freedom of Information Act electronic reading room web page: http://www.sss.gov/FOIA/
readingrm.htm
GILS - Government Information Locator Service
A way to identify, locate, and describe publicly available federal information resources,including electronic information resources. Each GILS record provides a thorough description
of the information resource, including what information is available and why it was created;
how the information is made available for use; who to contact for further information; and, in
some cases, a direct electronic link to the information itself. Selective Service GILS information
can be obtained on our GILS page at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/gils/browse.html
Fast Facts
HOW TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM SELECTIVE SERVICESelective Service System
Continued from previous page
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov August 6, 2008
HOW WOULD SELECTIVE SERVICE CONDUCT A RETURN TO
CONSCRIPTION?
When the all-volunteer force was established, it was not intended to stand alone in time of national
emergency. If, by law, it is determined that a return to the draft is required, the Selective Service System
would be responsible for supplying manpower through the induction process to ll vacancies that could
not be lled through voluntary enlistments.
In the event of a return to conscription, the Selective Service System would expand signicantly. Its
Reserve Forces Ofcers would be called to active duty to establish State Headquarters and Area Ofces
at predetermined locations, and at the same time approximately 2,000 Local and Appeal Boards would
be activated throughout the nation, staffed by 11,000 volunteers. Computer links between all Agencylocations would be activated. Current planning is based on the Department of Defense requirement
which requires the rst inductees about six months after notication. Selective Service is also capable
of providing inductees with special skills, such as health care personnel, after authorizing legislation is
passed by Congress and a draft is ordered by the President.
An early step in the resumption of the inductions process would be to hold a lottery, sequencing dates
of birth by random drawing, to determine the order in which registrants of prime draft age would be
called for processing for induction. For a conventional draft of untrained manpower, a man is in the
rst priority group for a possible draft during the calendar year of his 20th birthday. Beginning January 1
of the year he turns 21 he would drop into the second priority category, and men born the year after he
was born would move into the rst priority group. Each succeeding year, a draft eligible man drops intothe next lower priority group until he has reached his 26th birthday, at which time he is over the age of
liability for the draft.
Registrants facing possible induction would rst be ordered to report for examination to establish their
acceptability for military service. Those found acceptable will have the opportunity to le a claim for
postponement, deferment, or exemption from military service prior to receiving an induction order.
The Agency would also administer an Alternative Service Program for men classied as conscientious
objectors who are required to perform such service in lieu of serving in the military.
Current plans are frequently tested, evaluated, and revised as necessary. If implemented, they will guide
the Selective Service System in making a smooth transition from current reduced readiness levels to full
conscription within six months.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Pblic and Inerovernmenal Affairs
Naional Headqarers
Arlinon, Virinia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: hp://www.sss.ov
LOCAL BOARDS
A Selective Service Local Board is a group of ve citizen volunteers whose mission, upon a draft, will
be to decide who among the registrants in their community will receive deferments, postponements, or
exemption from military service based on the individual registrants circumstances and beliefs.
HOW LOCAL BOARD MEMBERS ARE APPOINtED
Local Board members are appointed by the Director of Selective Service in the name of the President,
on recommendations made by their respective state governors or an equivalent public ofcial. If you are
interest in serving as a Local Board member, you may apply on-line for an application package. Some
requirements to be a board member are that they be:
U.S. citizens
at least 18 years old
not a retired or active member of the Armed Forces or any Reserve component
live in the area in which the board has jurisdiction
be willing to spend enough time at the position.
DuRINg PEACEtIME
The Board Member program is one of the primary components of the Selective Service System. Over
11,000 volunteers are currently trained in Selective Service regulations and procedures so that if a draft
is reinstated, they will be able to fulll their obligations fairly and equitably. Board members undergo an
initial 8-hour training session and then participate in annual training in which they review sample cases
similar to real-life situations.
DuRINg A DRAFt
Registrants with low lottery numbers will be ordered to report for a physical, mental, and moral
evaluation at a Military Entrance Processing Station to determine whether they are t for military
service. Once he is notied of the results of the evaluation, a registrant will be given 10 days to le a
claim for exemption, postponement, or deferment. At that time, board members will begin reviewing and
deciding the outcome of the individual registrants case. They may personally interview the registrant
and persons who know him to gain a better understanding of his situation. A man may appeal a LocalBoards decision to a Selective Service District Appeal Board.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
MEDICAL DRAFT IN STANDBY MODE
The Health Care Personnel Delivery System (HCPDS) is a standby plan developed for the Selective
Service System at the request of Congress. If needed it would be used to draft health care personnel
in a crisis. It is designed to be implemented in connection with a national mobilization in an emergency,
and then only if Congress and the President approve the plan and pass and sign legislation to enact it.
No portion of the plan is designed for implementation in peacetime. If implemented, HCPDS would:
Provide a fair and equitable draft of doctors, nurses, medical technicians and those with certain
other health care skills if, in some future emergency, the militarys existing medical capability proved
insufcient and there is a shortage of volunteers.
Include women, unless directed otherwise by Congress and the President.
Draft a very small percentage of Americas health care providers into military service. Impact on the
availability of civilian health care would be minimal. Those health-care workers whose absence would
seriously hurt their communities would be deferred on the basis of community essentiality.
Begin a mass registration of male and female health care workers between the ages of 20 and 45. They
would register at local post ofces. HCPDS would provide medical personnel from a pool of 3.4 million
doctors, nurses, specialists and allied health professionals in more than 60 elds of medicine.
Require minimal training for HCPDS draftees, because they are already skilled personnel.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
MEN CANNOT REGISTER AFTER REACHING AGE 26
According to law, a man must register with Selective Service within 30 days of his 18th birthday.
Selective Service will accept late registrations but not after a man has reached age 26.
Some men may have failed to register during the time they were eligible to do so and may now nd they
are ineligible for certain benets.
See What happens if I dont register?
WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU DID NOT REGISTER AND ARE NOW 26 OR OLDER?
If you have passed your 26th birthday and are now being denied eligibility for Federal student nancial
aid, Federal job training, or Federal employment, or are having difculty obtaining U.S. citizenship
because you failed to register, you have the following recourse available to you: Explain to the ofcial
handling your case (for example, a student nancial aid ofcer) the reasons for your failure to register
with Selective Service. A non-registrant may not be denied any benet if he can show by a
preponderance of evidence that his failure to register was not knowing and willful. Offer as
much evidence supporting your case, and as much detail, as possible.
HOW TO GET AN OFFICIAL SELECTIVE SERVICE RESPONSE SAYING YOU WERE OR WERE
NOT REQUIRED TO REGISTER
If you did not register with Selective Service, and are now age 26 or older, you may be ineligible for
certain Federal or state programs and benets, including U.S. citizenship, if you are an immigrant male.
Some agencies may ask you to provide an ofcial response from the Selective Service indicating if you
were or were not required to register. To receive such a letter from the Selective Service System, please
call 1-847-688-6888. Your call will be answered by an automated voice processing system. Please
refrain from pressing any numbers, and an operator will soon come on the line to assist you.
You may also send a written request to the Selective Service System at P.O. Box 94638, Palatine, IL
60094-4638. Ask for a status information letter. You will have to describe, in detail, the circumstances
you believe prevented you from registering and provide copies of documents showing any periods when
you were hospitalized, institutionalized, or incarcerated occurring between your 18th and 26th birthdays.
If you are a non-citizen, you may be required to provide documents that show when you entered the
United States. Please include your name, Social Security Number, date of birth, and return address.
For your convenience, you can download the Request for Status Information Letterform, which
includes the directions for completing this form. Both documents are in PDF format.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
NATIONAL CHANGE OF ADDRESS SYSTEM
The purpose of maintaining a registration list is to enable Selective Service to reach draft-age men in
an emergency. When a man registers, Selective Service obtains a current mailing address and informs
each registrant that he is required by law to report any changes in his address to Selective Service
until he reaches age 26. Although a signicant number of address changes are reported, registrants
are a highly mobile segment of the population. To actively ensure that registrants in the prime draft age
group19 and 20 years oldcan be reached by mail in time of mobilization, the National Change of
Address System was developed.
The program itself is very simple. The records of registrants in the prime age group which have had
no updates in the past 18 months, including those with undeliverable addresses, are sent to a vendorlicensed by the U.S. Postal Service. The SSS records are matched against a data base containing all
change of address notices led by the public in the last 36 months at post ofces in the United States.
This procedure is performed once a year for registrants about to turn 20 years old.
If a match is found and the date of the address change is more recent than the date of the registrants
last record update, changes will be made to the registrants current record.
The National Change of Address System conrms the accuracy of nearly two million registrants records
every year. By using this approach for address maintenance, SSS ensures that the les are accurate to
reach draft-eligible registrants in the event of a national emergency.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
POST OFFICE REGISTRATION PROCESSING
When a young man reaches 18 he can go to any of the 35,000 post ofces nationwide to register with
Selective Service. There he completes a simple registration card and mails it to the Selective Service
System. This begins a multi-step process which results in the mans registration.
Each week approximately 6,000 completed registration cards are sent to the Selective Service
Systems Data Management System (DMC) near Chicago, Ill. At the DMC these cards are grouped into
manageable quantities. Each card is then microlmed and stamped with a sequential document locator
number. The processed microlm is reviewed to account for all documents and to ensure that the lm
quality is within strict standards. After microlming, the cards are keyed and then veried by a different
data transcriber.
Magnetic tapes, containing all information keyed from the registration cards, are produced for
processing by the computer center. The registration records go through a series of computer validation
checks resulting in either registration or placement onto a computerized error le. If the computer
accepts all the information, the registrant is issued an acknowledgment of registration. If an error is
detected at any point in processing the information is reprocessed or a letter is sent to the registrant
requesting clarication.
All processing follows a published schedule. The time required to process a registration, from the date
the registration form is completed at the post ofce, to the date the acknowledgment of registration
is generated, averages approximately 4 weeks. Regulations and mobilization readiness require that
processing take no more than 90 days.
Updating this data base requires continual changes and maintenance to remain accurate and usable.
Over one million changes, mostly to addresses, are processed each year.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
POSTPONEMENTS, DEFERMENTS, EXEMPTIONS
A high school student may have his induction postponed until he graduates or reaches age 20,
whichever occurs rst. College students may be postponed until the end of the semester. If they are in
their last academic year, they may be postponed until the end of that academic year.
A registrant automatically gets his induction delayed if he les a claim for reclassication. He is
also entitled to le for a postponement if he is a student or if he has an emergency beyond his control,
such as a serious illness or death in his immediate family.
Under emergency mobilization procedures, all registrants are considered to be classied 1-A available
for service unless they are given a different status by Selective Service. If a registrant believes that forsome reason he cannot or should not report for examination and induction as directed, he may request
a postponement or reclassication by ling a claim and sending it to the Selective Service ofce in his
area. Receipt of such a claim delays the registrants induction until his claim has been fully processed
and adjudicated.
A registrant can le a claim only after receipt of an order to report for induction and before the day he
is scheduled to report. Only in the case of an extreme emergency, under circumstances beyond his
control, would a registrant be allowed to le a claim on the day he is scheduled to report for induction.
It will not be necessary for the registrant to submit supporting evidence of his claim at the time he les
the request form. He will be contacted and given instructions on what information is needed, where to
send it, and when it should be sent.
The following classication categories would be available under present operating procedures:
Conscientious objectors perform service to the nation in a manner consistent with their moral,
ethical or religious opposition to participation in war in any form. Depending upon the nature of his
beliefs, a conscientious objector serves either in a noncombatant capacity in the armed forces or
in a civilian job contributing to the national interest.
Surviving sons or brothers in a family where the parent or sibling died as a result of U.S. military
service, or is in a captured or missing in action status, are exempt from service in peacetime.
Hardship deferments are available for men whose induction would result in hardship to persons
who depend upon them for support.
Members of Reserve components (including the National Guard and advanced level ROTC
cadets who have already signed a Reserve contract) are eligible for a separate classication and
perform their military service in the National Guard or the Reserves.
Ministers are exempted from service.
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Fast Facts
POSTPONEMENTS, DEFERMENTS, EXEMPTIONSSelective Service System
Continued from previous page
Ministerial students are deferred from service until they complete their studies.
Certain elected ofcials are exempt from service as long as they continue to hold ofce.
Veterans generally are exempt from service in peacetime.
Aliens and dual nationals in some cases may be exempt from U.S. military service dependingupon their place of residence and country of citizenship.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov
REGIONS AND REGION DIRECTORS
The Selective Service System has three regions nationwide to handle Agency business in their
respective area. Each region headquarters is headed by a region director and has a small full-time
staff of nine employees. Geographic boundaries and locations of the headquarters are shown on the
following map.
Six regions were established in 1981, after the Selective Service System was revitalized. In August
1994, they were consolidated to form the three regions shown on the above map. The region
headquarters are responsible for keeping the local boards within their jurisdictions at full strength. Inaddition, they coordinate training of all board members. Selective Service has more than 2,000 local
and appeal boards, comprised of approximately 11,000 volunteer civilian board members nationwide.
In the event of a draft, local and appeal boards would be mobilized to form the backbone of Selective
Service. Board members would decide draft deferments, postponements, and exemptions based upon
claims led by the young men who are selected for induction.
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Fast Facts
REGIONS AND REGION DIRECTORSSelective Service System
Continued from previous page
The regions also administer and conduct the training of hundreds of Reserve Force Ofcers (RFOs)
assigned to Selective Service in their regions. The Selective Service System has about 150 National
Guard and Reserve ofcers authorized. They are members of every branch of the Reserve Components
of the Armed Forces, with the exception of the Air National Guard. RFOs perform 48 drills and two
weeks of annual training per year. This part-time cadre of military ofcers is paid by the respectivemilitary service component; however, the individual services are reimbursed for most costs incurred,
including RFO travel, pay, and benet expenses. The reservists jobs are to train and be ready in the
case of a return to the draft, to assist in improving on-time registration of young men in Americas
communities, and to conduct training for board members. In the event of a draft, RFOs would open and
staff more than 400 Selective Service area ofces, be assigned to state headquarters, and serve as
liaison ofcers at Military Entrance Processing Stations. RFO assignments and activities are controlled
by each region headquarters.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov July 1, 2010
SELECTIVE SERVICE AND THE INTERNET
http://www.sss.gov
Young men can now register with Selective Service using the Internet. All young men living in theU.S., with very few exceptions*, are required to register within 30 days of turning 18. Registrationis Federal law. It is also required to stay eligible for many Federal and state benets, includingstudent nancial aid, job training, and jobs in the Executive Branch of the Federal government,as well as jobs with the U.S. Postal Service.
Registration
With access to the Internet, any young man can register by clicking on the Register Onlineicon at the Selective Service web site (www.sss.gov). He then enters in some basic informationand within 30 seconds, hell receive a Selective Service number. Within about two weeks, he willreceive an acknowledgment card in the mail.
Verication
Since SSS registration is required for many Federal and state benets, such as student nancialaid, job training, and Federal and state jobs, ofcials administering monies for these programscan now verify a young mans registration by simply clicking on the Check a Registration iconat the Agencys home page (www.sss.gov).
The Law
Registering with Selective Service is the law. Failure to register is a felony, punishable by a neof up to $250,000 and/or ve years in jail.
*All male U.S. citizens and male aliens residing in the U.S., ages 18 through 25, are required to register. A
man is exempt while serving on Active Duty in the Armed Forces or if he is a cadet at a service academy.
Lawfully admitted nonimmigrant aliens holding valid student visas or members of a diplomatic or trade
mission and their families are not required to register. For more information, contact the Selective Service
System.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov August 6, 2008
SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON SELECTIVE SERVICE
The law under which the Selective Service System operates is the Military Selective Service Act. (Act
of June 24, 1948, c. 625, 62 Stat. 604, as amended; 50 U.S.C. App. 451 et seq.). Selective Service
Regulations are contained in Part 1600 of Title 32 of the Code of Federal Regulations (32 CFR 1600).
The periodic reports of the Director of Selective Service to the Congress discuss the current activities of
the Agency. These reports have been published annually from 1948 to 1967, semiannually from 1968
to 1988. Currently, the reports are published annually as a result of the requirement change in 1989.
They are usually available in the government documents section of major libraries. Detailed information
concerning current Selective Service procedures is available from the Selective Service Public Affairs
Ofce.
Following is a list of books dealing with various aspects of Selective Service and the draft during various
periods of history. This is only a partial listing and is not meant as a denitive bibliography, nor as an
endorsement for any of the publications.
Baskir, Lawrence M. and Strauss, William A., Chance and Circumstance: The Draft, The War and The
Vietnam Generation. New York: Vintage Books, 1978.
Berryman, Sue E., Who Serves? The Persistent Myth of the Underclass Army. Boulder, Colo.: Westview
Press, 1988.
Carper, Jean, Bitter Greetings: The Scandal of the Military Draft. New York: Grossman Publishers, 1967.
Chambers, John Whiteclay II, To Raise an Army--The Draft Comes to Modern America. The Free Press,
McMillan, Inc., NY, NY, 1987.
Clifford, J. Garry and Spencer, Samuel R., Jr., The First Peacetime Draft. Lawrence, Kan.: The University
Press Of Kansas, 1986.
Davis, James W., Jr. and Dolbeare, Kenneth M., Little Groups of Neighbors. Chicago: Markham Publishing
Co., 1968.
Fitzpatrick, Edward A., Conscription and America. Milwaukee, Wis.: Richard Publishing Co.. 1940.
Flynn, George Q., Lewis B. Hershey, Mr. Selective Service. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press,
1985.
Flynn, George Q., The Draft, 1940 - 1973, Lawrence, Kansas: University Press of Kansas, 1993.
Gates, Thomas S., chairman, The Report of the Presidents Commission on an All-Volunteer Armed Force.
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SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON SELECTIVE SERVICESelective Service System
Continued from previous page
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Ofce, 1970.
Harwood, Michael, The Students Guide to Military Service. New York: Bantam Books, 1965.
Jacobs, Clyde E. and Gallagher, John F. The Selective Service Act: A Case Study of the Governmental
Process. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1967.
Kendall, David E. and Ross, Leonard, The Lottery and the Draft: Where Do I Stand? New York: Harper &
Row, 1970.
Leach, Jack Franklin, Conscription in the United States: Historical Background. Rutland, Vt.: Charles E. Tuttle
Publishing Co., 1952.
Leinwand, Gerald, The Draft. New York: Pocket Books, 1970.
Magruder, Carter B., chairman, Report of the Task Force on the Structure of the Selective Service System.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Ofce, 1967.
Marmion, Harry A., The Case Against a Volunteer Army. Chicago, Quadrangle Books, 1971.
Marmion, Harry A., Selective Service: Conict and Compromise, 1968.
Marshall, Burke, chairman, In Pursuit of Equity: Who Serves When Not All Serve? Report of the National
Advisory Commission on Selective Service. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Ofce, 1967.
National Manpower Conference, Student Deferment and National Manpower Policy. New York: National
Security Training Commission, Universal Military Training: Foundation of Enduring National Strength.
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Ofce, 1951.
Sanders, Jacquin, The Draft and the Vietnam War. New York: Walker & Co., 1966.
Shapiro, Andrew O. and Striker, John M., Mastering the Draft--A Comprehensive Guide for Solving Draft
Problems. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1970.
Suttler, David, IV-F: A Guide to Medical, Psychiatric, and Moral Untness Standards for Military Induction.
New York: Grove Press, 1970.
Tatum, Arlo and Tuchinsky, Joseph S., Guide to the Draft, 3rd edition, revised. Boston: Beacon Press, 1972.
Tax, Sol, editor, The Draft: A Handbook of Facts and Alternatives. The University of Chicago Press, 1967.
Trytten, M.H., Student Deferment in Selective Service. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1952.
Wamsley, Gary, Selective Service and a Changing America, 1967.
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STATE/COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATIONSelective Service System
Continued from previous page
Arkansas:Requires registration as a condition for receiving a state education loan, scholarship, or
other state nancial assistance. Signed into law by Gov. Bill Clinton on Feb. 22, 1989. Also, requires
compliance with the Military Selective Service Act as a precondition for state employment or enrollment
in a public institution of higher learning. Signed by Gov. Huckabee in 1997. On Feb. 20, 2001, Gov.
Huckabee signed into law a bill which requires men under 26 years old who apply for an Arkansasdrivers license, permit, or renewal to be registered with Selective Service. This law became effective on
Jan. 1, 2002.
California:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state student nancial aid.
Signed into law by Gov. Pete Wilson in 1997.
Colorado:Requires statement of compliance from male students born after Dec. 31, 1959, before
they are allowed to enroll at a state supported college or university. Gov. Dick Lamm allowed the bill to
become law in 1987. On Aug. 8, 2001, a Colorado law became effective requiring men applying for a
state drivers license to be registered with Selective Service. Gov. Bill Owens signed the bill on May 30,
2001.
Delaware:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state employment and statestudent nancial aid. Signed by Gov. Michael N. Castle in 1986. On Aug. 4, 2000, Gov. Thomas R.
Carper signed into law a bill which registers men 18 through 25 with Selective Service when they apply
for a Delaware drivers license, permit, or state I.D. card, if they are required under federal law to be so
registered.
District of Columbia:On April 27, 2001, Mayor Anthony Williams signed a law stipulating that men
18 through 25 years old in the District may register with the SSS when they apply to obtain or renew a
District drivers license.
Florida:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state student nancial aid. Signed
by Gov. Bob Graham in 1985. A law signed by Gov. Bob Martinez in 1988 requires registration as a
precondition for state employment. On July 1, 2001, a Florida law became effective requiring men to beregistered with Selective Service to obtain a state drivers license. Gov. Jeb Bush signed this legislation
on June 5, 2001.
Georgia:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state student nancial aid. Signed
by Gov. Joe Frank Harris in 1986. A law signed by Gov. Zell Miller effective, July 1, 1998, requires proof
of registration as a precondition for state employment. On July 1, 2001, a Georgia law became effective
which requires men to be registered with Selective Service to obtain a state drivers license. Gov. Roy
Barnes signed this legislation on April 18, 2001.
Guam:On May 3, 2004, Gov. Felix P. Camacho signed a law stipulating that men 18 through 25 years
old in Guam may register with the SSS when they apply to obtain or renew a state drivers license. This
law becomes effective on Sept. 1, 2004.Hawaii:A law became effective on Jan. 1, 2002, requiring Selective Service registration as a condition
for applying for and receiving a state drivers license. This law was signed by Gov. Benjamin J.
Cayetano on May 3, 2001.
Idaho:Young men must be registered to be eligible for state employment and state enrollment in post
secondary institutions, including nancial aid for this schooling. Signed by Gov. Dirk Kempthorne on
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STATE/COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATIONSelective Service System
Continued from previous page
registered with the SSS as a condition for obtaining a state drivers license.
Mississippi:Enacted two pieces of legislation. One requires Selective Service registration as a
precondition for state student nancial aid. Gov. William Allain signed this legislation in 1984. The other
requires registration as a precondition for state employment and was signed by Gov. Kirk Fordice
in 1999. On March 19, 2002, Gov. Ronnie Musgrove signed a law requiring Mississippi men to beregistered with the SSS as a condition for obtaining a state drivers license. This law became effective
on Sept. 1, 2002.
Missouri:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state employment and state
student nancial aid. Signed by Gov. Mel Carnahan on July 14,1999. On July 11, 2002, Gov. Bob
Holden signed a law allowing Missouri men to be registered with the SSS when they apply to obtain a
state drivers license or instruction permit application. This law became effective on Aug. 28, 2002.
Montana:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state employment and state
student nancial aid. Signed by Gov. Judy Martz on April 21, 2001.
Nevada: On May 22, 2009, Gov. Jim Gibbons signed a law stipulating that men 18 through 25 years oldin Nevada may register with the SSS when they apply to obtain or renew a state drivers license. This
law will become effective on July 1, 2010.
New Hampshire: Young men must be registered to be eligible for state employment and state
enrollment in post secondary institutions, including nancial aid for this schooling. Signed by Gov.
Jeanne Shaheen July 31, 1998. On May 8, 2002, Gov. Shaheen signed a law stipulating that men 18
through 25 years old in New Hampshire may register with the SSS when they apply to obtain or renew a
state drivers license. This law became effective on July 7, 2002.
New Jersey:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state student nancial aid.
Gov. Christine Todd Whitman signed this legislation in 1997.
New Mexico:On April 9, 2003, Gov. Bill Richardson signed into law a bill that requires New Mexicomen, 18 through 25 years old, to be registered to obtain a state drivers license. This law became
effective on July 1, 2003.
New York:On Sept. 17, 2002, Gov. George E. Pataki signed into law a bill that requires New York men,
18 through 25 years old, to be registered to obtain a state drivers license. This law became effective on
March 17, 2003.
North Carolina:Enacted two pieces of legislation: One requires Selective Service registration for
certain veterans dependents nancial aid programs and the other requires registration as a precondition
for state employment and state educational assistance. Gov. James Martin signed these bills in 1985
and 1989. On October 17, 2002, Gov. Michael Easley signed into law a bill that requires North Carolina
men, 18 through 25 years old, to be registered to obtain a state drivers license. This law becameeffective on April 01, 2003.
North Dakota:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for student nancial aid.
Signed by Gov. George Sinner in 1987.
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STATE/COMMONWEALTH LEGISLATIONSelective Service System
Continued from previous page
Northern Mariana Islands:Requires Selective Service registration as a prerequisite to employment
with the Commonwealth government. Signed by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio, the legislation became effective
March 15, 1999. A law signed on Nov. 30, 2001, by Gov. Tenorio requires young men, 18 through 25
years old, to be registered with Selective Service to obtain a drivers license or renewal.
Ohio:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state student nancial aid. Requiresany resident male not registered with Selective Service to pay out of state tuition rate. Gov. Richard
Celeste allowed this bill to become law in 1986. On Nov. 2, 2001, Gov. Bob Taft signed a law requiring
Ohio men to be registered with the SSS as a condition for obtaining a state drivers license. This law
became effective on Aug. 1, 2002.
Oklahoma:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state student nancial aid.
Signed by Gov. Henry Bellmon in 1987. On June 1, 2000, Gov. Frank Keating signed into law a
requirement that Oklahoma men, 18 through 25 years old, to be registered with Selective Service to
obtain a state drivers license or permit.
Puerto Rico:Optional drivers license legislation signed into law by the governor on 12/12/2011.
Rhode Island:On June 26, 2002, a bill became law requiring Rhode Island men, 18 through 25 years
old, to be registered with Selective Service to obtain a state drivers license or permit.
South Carolina:On June 5, 2002, Gov. Jim Hodges signed into law a bill that requires South Carolina
men, 18 through 25 years old, to be registered to obtain a state drivers license.
South Dakota:Requires Selective Service registration before acceptance to all state schools and as
a precondition to state employment. Signed by Gov. George S. Mickelson in 1988. On Feb. 23, 2002,
Gov. William J. Janklow signed a law requiring South Dakota men to be registered with the SSS as a
condition for obtaining a state drivers license.
Tennessee:Requires Selective Service registration before acceptance to all state schools. Signed by
Gov. Lamar Alexander in 1984. Registration is also required as a precondition for state employment.Gov. Ned McWherter signed this legislation in 1987. On May 29, 2002, Gov. Don Sundquist signed a
law requiring Tennessee men, 18 through 25 years old, to be registered to obtain a state drivers license.
This law became effective on Dec. 1, 2002.
Texas:Requires men to be in compliance with the registration requirement to be eligible for state
student nancial assistance. The law was passed in 1997. Effective Sept. 1, 1999, state employment is
contingent upon Selective Service registration or exemption. On June 15, 2001, Gov. Rick Perry signed
a law stipulating that men 18 through 25 years old in Texas may register with the SSS when they apply
to obtain or renew a state drivers license. This law became effective on Dec. 9, 2002. Automatic drivers
license legislation signed into law by the governor on 5/28/2011.
Utah:Requires Selective Service registration as a precondition for state student nancial aid. Signedby Gov. Michael O. Leavitt in March 1998. On March 15, 2001, Gov. Leavitt signed into law a bill
conditioning receipt of a Utah drivers license or state identication card on SSS registration for men
required to be registered. The law became effective on April 30, 2001.
Virgin Islands:A law signed on Feb. 20, 2002, by Gov. Charles Turnbull requires young men in the
Commonwealth, 18 through 25 years old, to be registered with Selective Service to obtain a drivers
license or renewal.
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Fast FactsThe Selective Service System
Ofce of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs
National Headquarters
Arlington, Virginia 22209-2425
FAX 703-605-4106
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: http://www.sss.gov August 6, 2008
SURVIVING SONS
Only Sons and the draft
Contrary to popular belief, only sons, the last son to carry the family name, and sole surviving sons
must register and they can be drafted. However, they may be entitled to a peacetime deferment if there
is a military death in the immediate family.
Provisions regarding the survivors of veterans were written into Selective Service law after World War
II. Details have varied over the years, but the basic premise remains the same; where a family member
has been lost as a result of military service, the remaining family members should be protected insofar
as possible.
It is important to keep in mind that the provisions are directly related to service-connected deaths. The
mere fact that a man is the only child or only son does not qualify him for exemption - he must be the
survivor of one who died as a result of military service.
The present law provides a peacetime exemption for anyone whose parent or sibling was killed in
action, died in line of duty, or died later as a result of disease or injury incurred in line of duty while
serving in the armed forces of the United States. Also included are those whose parent or sibling is in
a captured or missing status as a result of service in the armed forces during any period of time. This
is known as the surviving son or brother provision. A man does not have to be the only surviving son
in order to qualify; if there are four sons in a family and one dies in the line of duty, the remaining threewould qualify for surviving son or brother status under the present law.
The surviving son or brother provision is applicable only in peacetime. It does not apply in time of war or
national emergency declared by the Congress.
The original law, passed in 1948, exempted the sole surviving son of a family where one or more sons or
daughters died as a result of military service. No restriction existed at that time