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“it shall be the duty
of every male citizen of the United States, and every other male person
residing in the United States, who…is between the ages of eighteen and
twenty-six, to present himself for and submit to registration…”
[Section 2(a), Military Selective Service
Act]
1. Although no draft
is in effect, men are required to register with Selective Service
within 30
days of their 18th birthday.
(Note: Men may submit
registration information at 17 years of age.
Their information is held until 30 days prior to their 18th
birthday, when it is then processed).
2. Male U.S.
citizens and most male aliens residing in the United
States are required to register.
3. Because Selective
Service law refers to “male persons”, women are not subject to
registration or
a possible draft. Congress would have to
change the wording of the law in order for women to be registered.
4. The current
registration requirement applies to men born after December 31, 1959.
5. Men may register
at any U.S. Post Office, or a U.S.
embassy, or consular office. They may
also register by mail if they receive a registration reminder postcard
in the
mail or at high schools participating in the High School Registrar
Program. They may also register
instantly online through the Agency’s web site, at http://www.sss.gov/
. Also, men may register by telephone if
they receive a Selective Service registration card in the mail with a
PIN
number allowing telephone registration.
6. The only
information a man provides when he registers is his name, address date
of
birth, and Social Security number.
7. At this same time,
a man’s only duty under the Military Selective Service Act is to
register when
required and subsequently, to notify Selective Service within 10 days
of any
changes in the information he provided on his registration form until
he turns
26 years old (after January 1 of the year in which he turns 26).
8. Failing to
register or otherwise comply with the Military Selective Service Act is
a
felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, imprisonment for up to
five
years, or both.
9. Eligibility
for
Federal student aid, job training benefits, U.S.
citizenship, and most Federal and certain state government employment
is tied
to whether a man is registered with Selective Services.
10. The purpose of registration
is to have a list of names and addresses of men who might be called if
it is
necessary to reinstate the draft.
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