What to Know About the U.S. Military Draft Pool and Automatic Registration
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- The Selective Service System will begin automatically registering draft-eligible men later this year, ending the long-standing requirement for men aged 18 to 25 to register themselves.
- Failure to register has been a felony since 1980, punishable by up to five years in prison and loss of certain federal benefits, including government loans.
- The agency plans to use other federal databases to update and expand its list amid concerns over potential conflicts with China or Russia and declining military recruitment.
- This change has gained attention amid ongoing tensions with Iran and speculation about the possibility of a military draft.
- The Selective Service System had sought congressional approval for several years to modernize the registration process before implementing this automatic registration.
