Muswell Hill

With registration obviously NOT selective (ie implying a choice to register or not) then why the hell is it called the 'selective' service???
I wish the INS was a quick at sending out letters and reviewing forms as these guys obviously are.

Is this not eerily like some kind of police state tactic to get cannon fodder as and when needed. I for one flatly refuse for my son to go off the war (he's a dual nat.)

Duncs

If he doesnt sign up for it he loses a lot of benefits and that could hurt him later when he wants to go to college or get a federal job.

besides theres no chance of a draft anytime soon and even if there where they would go through all the poor black folk long before they get to middle class america.

the other thing of course is why not fight for your country? not just in the so called just wars but just when needed. I dont see why people are so reticent about making a sacrifice for their nation.

Duncan Roberts

They are ready to draft permanent residence but we don't have the right to vote. Interesting.

Muswell Hill

We shall be moving to the UK in a few years, primarily as there is no way i could possibly afford the tens of thousands it costs to get educated here at degree level. The cost of a few thousand quid per year for 3 years is do-able, but 4 years at tens of 1000's...i simply don't have the resources to do that and would hate to force the kid to start life with 20 years of student debt.

I agree with you about the serving the country bit, but wish there was a 'civil-service' option in the event of war. I could not bring myself or son to fight a war for oil, but in the event of genuine military action after all diplomacy and other sources are exhausted would be willing to serve in a civil or social capacity. Is this option offered do you know?

effi

But you get your Citizenship quicker, if you don't get your ass blown up first of course.

jaytee

I signed up at 18. That's the law. This is what would happen in a draft:

1. CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT AUTHORIZE A DRAFT
A crisis occurs which requires more troops than the volunteer military can supply. Congress passes and the President signs legislation which starts a draft.

2. THE LOTTERY
A lottery based on birthdays determines the order in which registered men are called up by Selective Service. The first to be called, in a sequence determined by the lottery, will be men whose 20th birthday falls during that year, followed, if needed, by those aged 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25. 18-year-olds and those turning 19 would probably not be drafted.

3. ALL PARTS OF SELECTIVE SERVICE ARE ACTIVATED
The Agency activates and orders its State Directors and Reserve Forces Officers to report for duty. See also Agency Structure.

4. PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND MORAL EVALUATION OF REGISTRANTS
Registrants with low lottery numbers are ordered to report for a physical, mental, and moral evaluation at a Military Entrance Processing Station to determine whether they are fit for military service. Once he is notified of the results of the evaluation, a registrant will be given 10 days to file a claim for exemption, postponement, or deferment. See also Classifications.

5. LOCAL AND APPEAL BOARDS ACTIVATED AND INDUCTION NOTICES SENT
Local and Appeal Boards will process registrant claims. Those who pass the military evaluation will receive induction orders. An inductee will have 10 days to report to a local Military Entrance Processing Station for induction.

6. FIRST DRAFTEES ARE INDUCTED
According to current plans, Selective Service must deliver the first inductees to the military within 193 days from the onset of a crisis.

Lion in Winter

Moral evaluation? Well that's OK then, I would fail there all right.

Anyone remember the song "Alice's Restaurant"?

Oggie Oi!

There are two responsibilities for those residing in the US as dictated by the Federal Government - pay taxes and register with SSS (although some people take issues with the fact that women are exempt).

It is logical that even noncitizens residing in the US are required to register. It would hardly be fair if citizens had to serve in the military while other nationals were able to enjoy and take advantage of the country.

The point is moot, however. There will never be another draft. Today's military is too high tech and quite specialized. You just can't take a guy off the street, give him a gun, a grenade, and 30 days training before sending him off to fight anymore. The Pentagon has repeatedly said that draftees would be useless to them and want an all volunteer force. SSS most likely will be voted out of existance within the next few years.

Bluegrass Lass

From what I read on another board here, if you have PR, and are drafted, then before you head off to the war, you will be sworn in as a citizen. So, if you don't die you have citizenship. Doesn't make it any easier to swallow though.

I think the SSS will be voted out of existence as well. Unless there is an absolute crisis, there will not be another draft in the US - too many families remember Vietnam. Myself, I don't mind picking up a gun and fighting for my country for all the right reasons, but I'd only do it for the right reasons, and not to line someone else's pocket with money.

Duncan Roberts

The thing that puzzles me is if a time came when there was a draft, England would almost certainly be involved in whatever conflict. So what happens there?

But what happens if you have no intention of getting citizenship?

NC Penguin

Maybe selective refers to the age range of males who have to register for this. i.e. 18-25 years old.

Oggie Oi!

I just heard that the SSS is now developing a system for a "special skills draft" for people with knowledge of certain computer skills and languages. That has frightening implications, but such a draft is still unlikely.

There are two bills moving through Congress to reinstate the draft. Neither has any support and they will probably never get to a vote, where they would be defeated anyhow.

btw- "selective" refers to process in which service is not compulsory for everyone, only those "selected" in the draft lottery. Not quite the lottery I would want to win...

Muswell Hill

Are there any other countries that operate a similar draft type system for its young men folk? In this day and age of front line women soldiers and equal opportunities, does the SSS not break many federal discrimination laws? Not being an expert though, I was under the impression women could fly fast jets, command warships and drive tanks. Why not be drafted then?

Englishmum

Singapore still expects all males to take part in National Service. They may be required to begin this from the age of 171/2 and after their first two complete years of NS, continue to perform their NS duty for at least a fortnight each year....until they are 40 years old. My dentist still did his NS. All males have to be registered by the age of 12 (although I think recently this may have been raised by a year or so). I had a Singaporean friend, married to a Kiwi and they had two boys. She wanted her sons to have the choice of which nationality they wanted to take when they were older (Singapore doesn't allow dual nationality) but had to leave the country before her eldest son was 11 years old or she would have had to pay tens of thousands of dollars in a bond to the Singapore govt. If her son had then decided not to return to Singapore for his NS, then they would have had to forfiet the money.

There is a problem for expats who want to take up permanent residency in Singapore if they have sons. If they marry a Singaporean man or woman, the child is automatically recognised as a Singaporean citizen by the govt. unless he/she renounces it at the age of (I think) 18 or 21. Even if the PR doesn't have a Singaporean spouse, any sons will still be required to perform National Service (1st generation PRs do not). I knew of an Australian family who became PRs and their son was a blond, blue eyed boy who went to an International School (Singaporeans aren't allowed to go to them unless one of their parents is a foreigner). He lived on a condominium with other expat families and didn't really get to mix with the locals. Apparently he turned up for his NS and the officers didn't have a clue what to do with him! He couldn't understand their Singlish!


Currently the Singapore govt. is very worried about the lack of babies being born there....the most educated mothers are not 'breeding' enough and there won't be enough males to perform National Service in the years ahead. They are concerned as it's a tiny country surrounded by (mainly) muslim Malaysia to the North and the largest muslim country in the world (Indonesia) to the South....there has already been a threat to bomb the US Embassy there which was thwarted.

Duncs

Its only that cost at private schools. state schools charge less. As a comparison i have place at Harvard(i love that it sounds so great, now my heads swelling again) its $30,000 a year tuition but they offered me $18,000 of grant so in truth its around $12,000 a year plus living costs. Still expensive but hopefully it opens doors and will justify the expense. Alternatively i have a place at the University of Mississippi Law School(state school) which is $6,500 a year as a Miss resident, Lots cheaper but has far less value outside Miss. Its like all things here you get what you pay for but the UK is catching up fast. Of course a degree from Harvard is way better than a degree from an average Uk uni. Equally an average U.S uni is not better than a UK one and possibly worse.

You just have to choose which you prefer and go from there.

regards,

Duncan