Who Must Register—and What Happens If You Don’t
Under current law, most men ages 18–25 must register with Selective Service. Registration is a legal requirement, and failing to do so can carry serious consequences:
- Fines up to $250,000 and/or up to 5 years in prison
- Ineligibility for federal student aid or job training
- Disqualification from many federal and some state jobs
- Delays or complications in immigration or citizenship processes
Registration itself does not mean you will be drafted—it simply makes you eligible if Congress and the president authorize conscription later.
How Would a Draft Work If It Were Activated?
Here’s the sequence required before anyone could be inducted:
- Congress must activate the Military Selective Service Act, formally authorizing a draft.
- The Selective Service System would issue orders for eligible individuals to report for duty.
- A national draft lottery would be held, typically drawing birthdays to determine the order in which people are called up. The highest priority usually goes to those turning 20 in the year of the lottery, followed by ages 21 through 25, with younger ages following last.
Those selected would then have to report to a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) for medical, psychological, and moral evaluations. If deemed fit, they could be inducted into service. The law specifies that, in an emergency, the first inductees should be delivered to the military within about 193 days of authorization. AS USA
Important Reality Check
Right now, there is no active draft, and no draft authorization has been passed by Congress. While political rhetoric—even about strategic territories like Greenland—can stir anxiety, the legal and procedural steps required to reinstate conscription are significant and involve lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Talk of foreign conflicts, territorial disputes, and military readiness often makes headlines, but it’s critical to separate policy statements from legal realities. A draft isn’t triggered by presidential threats or geopolitical tension alone; it requires formal legislative action.
Your Voice Matters: What are your thoughts on the possibility of a military draft and today’s global tensions? Share your perspective in the comments below.