The US government wants young men to be automatically registered as eligible for the military draft starting in December, which would end decades of self-registration.
The new rule, proposed by a government agency, calls for men to be registered automatically, rather than having to do so on their own within 30 days of turning 18.
Proponents of the plan argue that automatic registration will save the government millions of dollars spent each year reminding those eligible that registration is required by law for men between 18 and 25 years old.
The rule is still under review and must be approved before implementation, although it has already raised fears about possible forced recruitment in the US in the event of a crisis.
The last forced military draft in the United States occurred in 1973, after years of massive public opposition during the Vietnam War.
Transfer of responsibility
The Selective Service System (SSS) submitted the automatic registration proposal to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30, according to that office’s website.
The SSS website notes that the change “transfers responsibility for registration of individual men to the SSS” by integrating with other federal data sources, which the agency says will result in a more “streamlined” process.
In the United States, most men between the ages of 18 and 25 are already required to register. Failure to do so is a crime and, in theory, can lead to up to five years in federal prison.
Although prison sentences are virtually nonexistent, noncompliance can also lead to losing eligibility for federal student financial aid and federal employment. Noncitizens who do not register may also be denied U.S. citizenship.
The vast majority of U.S. states and territories also automatically enroll men in the Selective Service when they issue driver’s licenses.
Despite these regulations, the level of compliance fell to 81% in 2024, according to government data.
The new change to automatic registration was approved by Congress in December as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes funding for the US military and its operations around the world.
Pennsylvania Democratic Representative Chrissy Houlahan, who promoted this provision, then noted that the measure would allow the government to “reallocate resources.”
“Basically, that means money going toward readiness and mobilization,” Houlahan told Military Times. “Instead of allocating it to education and advertising campaigns aimed at registering people.”
The fears it generates
The change, however, has raised fears among some Americans that the country could be heading toward a mandatory military draft if the war with Iran escalates or a crisis erupts in the future.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt directly addressed a question about recruiting and the possibility of US troops being deployed to Iranian territory during an interview with Fox News in early March.
“It is not part of the current plan at this time, but the president, once again, wisely keeps all options on the table,” Leavitt responded. “There is no higher priority or responsibility for this president than protecting the American people and our troops.”
The United States government has implemented wartime conscription six times in its history, most recently during the Vietnam War.
About 1.8 million Americans were drafted during that conflict, eventually leading to the creation of an all-volunteer military in 1973. Selective Service registration was reinstated in 1980 by then-President Jimmy Carter.
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