Hi everyone, got a somewhat thorny question here. I'm going to be graduating high school soon, and I heard somewhere that graduates have to register for the military. Is that true or just a myth? Appreciate your insights!
Hello! What you've heard is true, but it only applies to certain individuals. In the United States, almost all male U.S. citizens, as well as male immigrants living in the U.S., who are aged 18 through 25, are required to register with the Selective Service System. Registration is also a requirement for various federal benefits and programs, like federal student loans and grants.
To clarify, registration is not an enlistment in the armed forces. In a potential crisis requiring a military draft, men registered might be called into service, but that's something different entirely and a scenario that hasn't happened since the 1970s.
You can register with Selective Service through your local post office, at school, or online. And remember, even if you aren't planning to go to college and seek federal aid, it's still generally a good idea to register due to potential impacts on future federal job opportunities and U.S. citizenship processing.
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