Selective Service

[Devanshu]

I was helping a friend fill out his FAFSA forms when I noticed something...it said "If you're a male 18-25 and are not registered, cirlce yes and the Selective Service will register you". Out of curiosity, how many people here have regsitered? Also, if need be, what are your chances of getting called?

[mec_modifier]

I don't know if this is still the law in Oklahoma, but you used to have to show proof that you registered with the Selective Service to renew your driver's license after you turned 18. I registered, and I actually joined the Air National Guard for the G.I. Bill, but got booted due to health reasons...no future military service for me.

[fmctm1sw]

I don't remember doing it but I must have... www.sss.gov
Somewhere you can find your number on there. I wouldn't expect a knock on your door fom the "draft police" anytime soon.... I've been in the service for 13 years and have never heard any serious talk about the draft....

[sterno]

You are required by federal law to register for selective service, but I've never been asked to show proof. The only chance of being called up is if they reinstate the draft, which is a pretty remote possibility with the size of our active duty military and reserves. The main reason it's still around is that no government will ever give up any power.

[sterno]

You know, I can't help but think that they added "system" to the end and called it "SSS" because they didn't like the idea of being called the American SS.

[MrMungus]

I wouldn't expect a knock on your door fom the "draft police" anytime soon

I'd say it's more likely now than since the draft ended. We had a draft for Vietnam and now we're in Iraq and who knows where next. Brush up on your Korean.

[Tommyknocker]

I am registered, and in the military. I wasn't drafted, I volunteered. Trust me, the U.S. has more than enough people willing to serve their country without being drafted, so sleep easy, the military is all volunteer, now.

P.S. This post does not necessarily represents the views of the U.S. Government, the DOD, or any of it components.

[g_shocker182]

what are your chances of getting called?

With a million plus armed personnel, don't fret.

[pacmania_2001]

Are only males required to register?

Never heard of this before.

[Devanshu]

Are only males required to register?

Never heard of this before.

Yep...ages 18-25

[freestyler]

the military might want you for your dvd decryption talent

[gmatov]

Don't be too complacent.

Go to www.progressive.org and read the blurb about Rumsfeld going into Canada to recruit Canadian Native Americans, under the Jay Treaty of 1794.

I'd say this says the "All Volunteer Army" is hurting for recruits, as those who have served in Iraq for a 1 year tour are finding that they don't have enough personell to replace them, they get sent back before they have had their normal 'tween tours break.

Many Reservists are declining to re-up due to this. Probably not too happy with the number of reservists serving compared to the full-time, full pay Regulars stationed there. What are they, the proverbial REMFs?

Anyhow, they say you'll all be home before Christmas. After the election, anyhow. Well, maybe. Well, Halliburton has a lot of work left to do, so maybe only a few more years. But, we'll bring you all home eventually. Don't fret.

Cheers,

George

[pacmania_2001]

Are only males required to register?

Never heard of this before.

Yep...ages 18-25

Bit discriminatory. If you didn't want to be drafted you surely would have grounds to challenge it in the courts.

[Tommyknocker]

Are only males required to register?

Never heard of this before.

Yep...ages 18-25

Bit discriminatory. If you didn't want to be drafted you surely would have grounds to challenge it in the courts.

Not exactly, you cannot force a woman to an illegal thing (Enter the Draft). But she can and they often do, volunteer for combat. And have the ultimate sacrifice. However, once he does join, and find he does not like it, he can always get out for many reason, like failure to comply with standards, engaging in homosexual activity, conscientious objection, and so on.

[pacmania_2001]

So it's okay for a man to be forced into entering the service through the draft (even if they can later get out of it) but it's not okay for a woman to have the same thing happen to her?

I understand the problems with woman fighting on front lines but their are plenty of support role and other non-direct combat positions they can fill if they were subject to the same draft rules as men.

I'm not bitching about it, just playing devils advocate about so called equal rights between the sexes these days.

[Tommyknocker]

I never said whether it was right or wrong. I only posted the legalities.

[Faustus]

what are your chances of getting called?

With a million plus armed personnel, don't fret.

Thats alot as long as you dont spread 'em out real thin and try to fight on several differnt fronts at the same time...

.....uhoh.

[pacmania_2001]

I never said whether it was right or wrong. I only posted the legalities.

Sorry if it came out like I was attacking you, that wasn't my intention.

I was attacking the systems that still exist in our so called 'equal rights' society.

[Capmaster]

According to this they have over 73 million on tap just in case ...
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html

[g_shocker182]

According to this they have over 73 million on tap just in case ...
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html

That's nothing though...go look at how much China has "on tap".

[Devanshu]

I'm not bitching about it, just playing devils advocate about so called equal rights between the sexes these days.

That reminds me of my AP gov. class. We were doing a senate simulation where the class was split into comitties and my group was assigned to 2 bills, 1: equal rights for women in the workplace, 2: women being drafted. Bill #1 went through in 10 seconds while bill #2 was killed. I (with a couple of supporters) decided that women should be drafted while a few others took the opposing role. My basic argument was that if you want to live in an equal society where females are just as good as males, they should be legally required to sign up for the draft as well. If you didnt agree to bill #2, why not kill bill #1 as well?

[pacmania_2001]

That reminds me of my AP gov. class. We were doing a senate simulation where the class was split into comitties and my group was assigned to 2 bills, 1: equal rights for women in the workplace, 2: women being drafted. Bill #1 went through in 10 seconds while bill #2 was killed. I (with a couple of supporters) decided that women should be drafted while a few others took the opposing role. My basic argument was that if you want to live in an equal society where females are just as good as males, they should be legally required to sign up for the draft as well. If you didnt agree to bill #2, why not kill bill #1 as well?

Exactly, the problem is, usually these 'minorities' (be it race or sex) demand equal rights yet don't want to go the hard yards that come with having equal rights.

Reminds me of a story I read recently where a group of university students were offering a scholarship but part of the criteria was that you had to be white and male. The female and minority groups on the campus were outraged that it was only available to white males yet those same groups were also offering scholarships based on the same criteria (i.e having to be a female or of a certain race).

[slimmx]

Last year in High School when I was a junior, a Government teacher told us that it is in our own interest (males only) to register with the army as soon as we turn 18. He told us that when he turned 18 he had no intentions to serve so he never registered. In a couple of months he got a letter from the army that stated that he better register NOW if he doesn't want any problems with them. He told us he went to the post office the same day and filled out the post card.

[Devanshu]

Exactly, the problem is, usually these 'minorities' (be it race or sex) demand equal rights yet don't want to go the hard yards that come with having equal rights.

Reminds me of a story I read recently where a group of university students were offering a scholarship but part of the criteria was that you had to be white and male. The female and minority groups on the campus were outraged that it was only available to white males yet those same groups were also offering scholarships based on the same criteria (i.e having to be a female or of a certain race).

Yeah...we were just trying to be equal and I remember how hostile some women got. One of em told a buddy of mine to go stick his head where the sun dont shine.

[housepig]

The only chance of being called up is if they reinstate the draft, which is a pretty remote possibility with the size of our active duty military and reserves.

You might be surprised - even with "stop loss" programs in place now (ie - you were supposed to get out of the military tomorrow? sorry kid, there's a war on - pack your bags again) the US armed forces are seriously undermanned for the expected occupations in Afghanistan & Iraq, as well as maintaining a presence in all the other places, like Europe, South Korea, etc.

The government has been very quietly filling all the empty Draft Board positions, so that if they have to reinstate it, they will have a full administrative corps in place.

I'm not worried, because I just turned 33 - they're going to have to chew up a lot of 18 and 19 year olds before they draft my fat ass.

[Capmaster]

According to this they have over 73 million on tap just in case ...
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html

That's nothing though...go look at how much China has "on tap".

Maybe, but one of our guys is worth at least 10 of theirs when you consider training, technology and weapons

[shoozleboy]

According to the CIA Online Factbook, a few tidbits on China's Military:

Military branches:
People's Liberation Army (PLA): comprises ground forces, Navy (including naval infantry and naval aviation), Air Force, and II Artillery Corps (strategic missile force), People's Armed Police Force (internal security troops, nominally a state security body but included by the Chinese as part of the "armed forces" and considered to be an adjunct to the PLA), militia

Military manpower - military age: ?

18 years of age (2003 est.) ?

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 375,520,255 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 206 million (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 10,973,761 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$55.91 billion (FY02)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
4.3% (FY02)

Interesting part is that they do not list an estimate or actual Military Manpower or 18 years of age (not that there are any laws saying you have to wait until 18 years to fight in the Chinese Army)....

Link to the page is :

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html

Note their expenditure for their forces, $55.91 BILLION $, compared to the US's $267.7 BILLION $.....

[tgpo]

I think I registered online.

[Capmaster]

Note their expenditure for their forces, $55.91 BILLION $, compared to the US's $267.7 BILLION $.....

There are a LOT of them, but they have to go barefoot, eat one bowl of rice a day, and privide their own weapons and uniforms ...a lot like the viet cong.

[indolikaa]

Brush up on your Korean.

I don't think that one would be an issue. If Kim ever reached the point where he thought war was his last option, I can't see him using anything less than unconventional weapons. What else does he have to lose at this point?

It's not like he'd be trying to score points with anybody by fighting a clean war. And since the US doesn't keep any nuclear weapons on the Korean penninsula , why let such a strategic advantage be passed up like that?

I remember my Poly-Sci class in college. The professor suggests the world will see another war in which nuclear weapons will be used. He asks who is likely to be the agressor in such an attack. Oh, you had about one-third of the class say it would be Israel, another third say the US and the remaining third were evenly split between Russia and China.

I said Pakistan.

I was unanimously mocked and ridiculed by all, and the laughter reached hysterics when I predicted Pakistan would test a functional device before the end of the 1990s. "The world community would never let a Muslim nation get their hands on nuclear technology!" they said.

I got great pleasure out of calling that professor in June of 1998 and asking him what he thought about my analysis of the situation? I'm not sure I ever got a solid answer on that one.