Register for the Draft
Virtually all males living in the United States are required to register with Selective Service within 30 days of their 18th birthday. Currently, women aren't required to register because the Selective Service law refers specifically to "male persons" in stating who must register and who would be drafted. Congress would have to amend the law for women to be required to register with Selective Service.
Registering does not mean a man will automatically be taken into the military. During times of crisis or war, the government may decide that they need larger military forces than they feel they could get through voluntary enlistment. If this happens the Selective Service will:
Registering does not mean a man will automatically be taken into the military. During times of crisis or war, the government may decide that they need larger military forces than they feel they could get through voluntary enlistment. If this happens the Selective Service will:
- Conduct a lottery to determine the sequence for selecting registrants for examination and induction.
- Assign each registrant the Random Sequence Number (RSN) drawn by lottery for his date of birth.
- Select and order registrants for examination and induction, beginning with RSN 001. Those selected are examined for mental, physical and moral fitness.
