United States Selective Service System

U.S. Selective Service System

Conscription is the term used to describe what we today know as a military draft, or compulsory military service. The United States has a long history of attempts at the institution of conscription for all male citizens. It began in 1863 during the U.S. Civil war but was extremely unpopular. Furthermore it allowed those who could find them to offer the military a replacement, such as an indentured servant or slave, or early on they could pay a $300 fee to be exempted from service. ("Selective Service" Columbia Encyclopedia)

Another attempt was made during WWI (1917) to establish a selective service registration system the but again the response was poor with 50,000 men applying for exemptions and 250,000 simply failing to register at all. After the close of WWI when the country and congress were still hoping that WWI was the last war we would ever have to fight congress gave no strength to the cause of a mandatory registration system. ("From WWI to Today" July 18, 2004)

The United States Selective Service System has been operational for more than sixty years, beginning with the signing of the Selective Service and Training Act of 1940, by President Franklin Roosevelt. The system currently is in place to ensure a back up plan if there in the event that there are an underestimated number of service men trained and ready for military action either domestic or foreign. This act created the first peace-time draft and also established the Selective Service as an independent government agency. ("Background of Selective Service" (http://www.sss.gov/backgr.htm)

Between the years 1948 and 1973 in both peace and during conflict men were drafted in to the military to fill vacancies that could not be filled by voluntary recruitment. At the end of this period the U.S. Armed Forces and the U.S. government reverted to an all-voluntary recruitment policy, as it remains today.

Though the Selective Service registration requirement was suspended for a time between 1975 and 1980 the system is in operation today and requires that all male citizens of the U.S., between the ages of 18 and 25 register. As stated by the Selective Service History website the system is operational today and men are required to register as obligated by the Military Selective Service Act, the relatively new legislation that governs the operation of the Selective Service System. ("Background of Selective Service" (http://www.sss.gov/backgr.htm)

The Selective Service System issues a yearly report card (see below (http://www.sss.gov/y2003stats.htm) that details the demographic representation of registration within each state and nationally and has recently welcomed its millionth registered man. As you can see from the statistics on the graphic the system is very effective, much more effective than say voter registration, or voting statistics.

Selective Service Registration can be done at countless points of access, most government offices have the forms, all U.S. Post Offices. The Selective Service Website also allows online registration and follow-up to check on registration stasis for individuals. Most young men register either during high school or shortly after graduating from high school as it is a requirement for eligibility to receive financial aid for college from the federal government. According to the Selective Service Website you can even check a box on your Federal Student Financial Aide form that allows FAFSA the ability to share your vital stats with the Selective Service System and in turn register you. ("How to Register" (http://www.sss.gov/FSregist.htm)

Yet, there are other penalties for not registering, including possible $250,000 fine and a prison term of up to five years. A man who fails to register for Selective Service may also be ineligible for federal jobs, federal job training and if born outside the U.S. But arriving here before the age of 26 inability to obtain citizenship. Some state have also adopted laws that penalize individuals for not registering, some even require registration before that can receive a license to drive. ("Benefits and Programs Linked to Registration" (http://www.sss.gov/FSbenefits.htm)

Currently the Selective Service Website opens with a timely address to interested parties about the lack of intention by the U.S. Selective Service, the President or Congress to reinstitute a Draft. It is stated within the public notice that the statement was written in response to recent public conjecture by the U.S. media. ("Selective Service System: Notice" (http://www.sss.gov/Default.htm) One article associated with the issue sites authorities who are witnessing changes in the ways in which selective service creates preparedness for the possibility of a draft, most notably a 28 Million dollar budget increase, but in the long-term it seems that most people in the know are very skeptical of there ever being a mandatory or lottery draft again. (Mehren 7/17/2004)

The Selective Service System makes it as easy as possible for individuals to register and potentially very difficult for those individuals who do not. The system as it stands, without question is very effective, as a tool for creating a back up system in the case of an extreme underestimation of military need, yet this is a very unlikely scenario. The military, regardless of the likely hood a prolonged action in Iraq or in the war on terrorism in general is in good shape and with the recall of many inactive-duty guard members back t active duty military numbers seem to be even more unlikely to fall below safe levels. (Mehren 7/17/2004)