Young men in the United States will be automatically enrolled in the military draft pool beginning this December, according to Antigua News Room, following a measure included in the annual defense policy bill signed into law late last year.
Men between the ages of 18 and 26 are already required by law to register with the Selective Service System in the event a draft is called. The last active draft in the United States ended in February 1973, during the Vietnam War.
Automatic registration is already in effect in 46 states and territories, as reported by the Selective Service System's 2024 report. The agency has since proposed a rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs to extend the practice nationwide.
The nationwide measure carries no connection to the ongoing US conflict with Iran and was passed with bipartisan support months before that conflict began. However, the Trump administration has declined to rule out deploying ground troops, drawing renewed public attention to draft policy.
Under the National Defense Authorization Act, which President Donald Trump signed in December, automatic registration will apply to male US citizens and, in the words of the legislation, "every other male person" in the country between 18 and 26. That includes green-card holders, refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented men. Those on nonimmigrant visas are exempt.
In states that have not yet enacted automatic registration, men are currently required to register within 30 days of their 18th birthday. The Selective Service accepts late registrations up until a man's 26th birthday.
Failing to register is a felony offense and can result in the loss of benefits such as certain student loans and federal employment. It also constitutes a violation of the Military Selective Service Act, which carries penalties of up to five years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
Some jurisdictions already link registration to other government processes. Arizona, Delaware, and Washington, DC, automatically register eligible men when they apply for a driver's licence or state identification. New York's driver's licence application includes an opt-in section for selective service registration. According to the SSS's 2023 report, over 60% of registrations came through state motor vehicle departments.
Democratic Representative Chrissy Houlahan, who sponsored the automatic registration provision, said the measure would protect young men from unintended consequences. "Making registration automatic not only saves taxpayer dollars by eliminating the need to advertise but finally ensures that young men are not unknowingly penalized," Houlahan said. She also emphasised the measure's bipartisan backing. The NDAA passed with bipartisan votes in both the House and Senate.
Should a draft ever be activated, Congress would first need to approve it. Not all registered men would be called to serve. A lottery system, in which birthdays and numbers are randomly selected, would determine who receives induction orders.
Men whose 20th birthdays fall within the year of a draft would be the first called, followed in order by those aged 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 19, and then those more than six months past their 18th birthday. Those selected could apply for an exemption or deferment. All remaining eligible men would undergo physical, mental, and moral evaluations before being confirmed for service, according to the Selective Service System.
