# the draft? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301 "2003-07-18T03:10:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/1 "2003-07-18T03:10:18Z")
What are the criteria for being eligible for the draft? (Or more importantly, the ones for being ineligible. ) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/2 "2003-07-18T03:26:22Z")
If you mean in the U.S., there is no active draft, even though you still have to register with the government when you turn 18. If there were a draft, I’m sure that instead of using whatever the standards were in the old draft, a new enacting bill from Congress would set eligibility requirements and restrictions. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/3 "2003-07-18T03:29:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chaoticdonkey \* > (Or more importantly, the ones for being ineligible. ) Phil Ochs summed them up nicely, [here](http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/snd/draftdodgerrag.html). ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/4 "2003-07-18T03:38:35Z")
Don’t you spend even a moment worrying about this one. The military is dead-set against any reenstatement of conscription. It ain’t gonna happen. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/5 "2003-07-18T04:12:20Z")
Almost all male U.S. citizens, and male aliens living in the U.S., who are 18 through 25, are required to register with Selective Service. The Selective Service has a handy [chart](http://www.sss.gov/must.htm) showing who must register, and who is exempt. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/6 "2003-07-18T16:06:42Z")
so, unless there’s a draft, I still have to register with SS, but if I don’t want to join the military, I don’t have to? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/7 "2003-07-18T16:43:02Z")
Yep. No chance at all. It would take an act of Congress and that will not happen anytime soon. Register and then chill. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/8 "2003-07-18T17:10:00Z")
oh thank God. ---
**Author:** ![FyreFiend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@FyreFiend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FyreFiend)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/9 "2003-07-18T17:45:04Z")
I was wondering why we even have to register for SS anymore. The military doesn’t want conscription so why is the gov. wasting money on SS? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/10 "2003-07-18T19:13:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by chaoticdonkey \* > \*\*so, unless there’s a draft, I still have to register with SS, but if I don’t want to join the military, I don’t have to? \*\* A series of non-sequitors. You have to register with the Selective Service _whether there is a draft or not_. If there is a draft (not likely), and your number is called and you meet the Army’s physical and mental standards, _yes you would have to serve in the military_. Your alternative would be to declare yourself a conscientious objector, but the burden of proof would be on you to show that this is not an \*ad hoc[/] position. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/11 "2003-07-18T19:25:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FyreFiend \* > **The military doesn’t want conscription** A cite for this claim? Whether the armed forces need conscription in peacetime is one thing. The draft is not for peacetime. It is to prepare for a national emergency. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/12 "2003-07-18T19:37:04Z")
hmm… that didn’t flow very nicely. It should have read something like: “I have to join the SS regardless, but unless there’s a draft, I don’t have to involuntarily join?” Thanks for the info. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/13 "2003-07-18T19:48:36Z")
From a UPI article dated January 10, 2003: "Rumsfeld first referred to the many exemptions issued to certain men in the draft and then said, “what was left was sucked into the intake, trained for a period of months, and then went out, adding no value, no advantage, really, to the United States armed services over any sustained period of time, because the churning that took place, it took enormous amount of effort in terms of training, and then they were gone.” " ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/14 "2003-07-18T22:05:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Walloon \* > \*\*A cite for this claim? Whether the armed forces need conscription in peacetime is one thing. The draft is not for peacetime. It is to prepare for a national emergency. \*\* Except that the last draft extended through the end of World War II to the beginning of 1973. Now we can have a long debate over whether this was “peacetime” or whether the Army was preparing for a “National Emergency” or even whether Vietnam was a war. But as I lived through it, there was a peacetime draft. P.S. **chaoticdonkey** , you don’t _join_ the SS. You register with the Selective Service organization. And “joining” the armed forces is always voluntary. It is the opposite of being drafted. You never “involuntarily join.” ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/15 "2003-07-18T22:09:42Z")
**Exapno Mapcase** , I am not disputing that there _was_ a peacetime draft. I am talking about the status quo today. ---
**Author:** ![aaslatten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@aaslatten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaslatten)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/16 "2003-07-18T22:13:52Z")
I am disturbed by the use of SS for Selective Service. I guess I’ll get over it. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/17 "2003-07-18T22:29:38Z")
Can anyone please explain why people feel the chances of a draft coming back are very low? In the event of a major war, if the current size of the armed forces proves insufficient, wouldn’t a draft be the most natural thing? Besides, if they really feel it was unnecessary, why have SS registration at all? Just wondering… ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/18 "2003-07-18T22:43:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by nobodyimportant \* > **Can anyone please explain why people feel the chances of a draft coming back are very low?** Because of changes in how wars are fought, with increasing reliance on airpower and high tech missiles, there is not as much as need for combat infantry as in the past. In other words, we’re doing a lot more with fewer people. But there always can be unforseen circumstances when sheer manpower would be necessary (e.g., heavy occupation of a large area, and/or two wars being fought simultaneously, as in WW2), beyond what the volunteer armed forces could supply. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/19 "2003-07-18T23:16:59Z")
I see. That was kinda what I was guessing, but I wanted some other opinions. Thanks for the reply 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![FyreFiend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@FyreFiend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FyreFiend)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301/20 "2003-07-19T02:27:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aaslatten \* > \*\*I am disturbed by the use of SS for Selective Service. > > I guess I’ll get over it. \*\* I didn’t mean anything by it and didn’t think of how it could be taken until after I hit submit. Just quicker to type then “Selective Service” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-draft/189301.md?page=2)