The Selective Service System registers all American men aged 18-25 in case of a military draft and maintains a database of healthcare professionals. Founded in 1917, it establishes a lottery system, calls men for physical exams, and processes deferral and conscientious objector applications. Women cannot register. The SSS can mobilize regional draft commissions and conducts a birthday lottery. Men are evaluated for physical, mental, and moral fitness and given a classification. Appeals can be made for exemption, hardship deferment, or conscientious objector status.
The Selective Service System (SSS) is an independent American agency that registers all men between the ages of 18 and 25, in the event that the United States Congress authorizes a draft for military service. The SSS also maintains a database of healthcare professionals, in case people are needed in this vital field. The agency says it is able to have applicants ready within 193 days of draft approval.
This agency was founded in 1917 by an act of Congress that was passed in response to manpower concerns for World War I. It is responsible for registering all eligible American men, establishing a lottery system if a draft is authorized, calling men by lottery number for physical exams to determine whether or not they are fit to serve, and processing applications for deferral and conscientious objector questions. The system ensures that the United States has manpower in the event of a major military conflict.
By law, every American male must register within 30 days of his 18th birthday, regardless of any intention to apply for conscientious objector status or physical problems. Women are not allowed to register, a policy which has been criticized by some people. The practice of conscription is somewhat controversial in general in the United States, causing some people to resent the Selective Service System. Some people choose not to register, risking jail time and fines. The program also penalizes people who don’t register by limiting their access to federal jobs and educational financial aid.
In the event that a project is authorised, the SSS is able to mobilize a large number of regional draft commissions which remain inactive until they are needed. These councils oversee project administration in their regions and deal with referrals and other issues that arise in the course of the mobilization. When a draft is cleared, the Selective Service System conducts a birthday lottery, calling 20-year-olds first, then 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 19, respectively.
When a man’s lottery number comes up, he has to go to a regional draft commission. The board of directors administers a physical exam and also evaluates potential candidates for mental and moral fitness to determine whether or not they would be a good fit for the military. After this evaluation, the man is given a classification such as 4F for incapacitated, or 1A, signifying that he is available for service. The prospective candidate has ten days to appeal the classification or will be required to report for service.
Appeals can take many forms. Some people are automatically exempt from service, such as ministers. Others may apply for a hardship deferment, arguing that military service would put a strain on their families, and some apply for conscientious objector status. A conscientious objector can fall into a number of categories, including someone who objects to any military service or someone who objects to carrying a firearm, in which case they will be required to perform alternative service duties.
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