Why the US plans to automatically register men for conscription

The U.S. military has been staffed entirely by volunteers since 1973. Getty Images via BBC Young Americans could be automatically registered for the draft as early as December, ending decades of self-registration. ✅ Follow g1’s international news channel on WhatsApp The new rule, proposed by a government agency, provides for men to automatically register, instead of requiring them to do so on their own within 30 days of turning 18. Supporters of the plan say automatic registration will save the government millions of dollars spent annually on reminders to those eligible about the draft requirement for men between the ages of 18 and 25. The rule is still under review and needs to be approved before being implemented, although it has already raised fears of mandatory conscription in the US in the event of a crisis. See the videos that are trending on g1 The last mandatory military enlistment in the US took place in 1973, after years of strong public opposition during the Vietnam War (which featured direct US intervention between 1965 and 1973). The Selective Service System (SSS), the government agency responsible for military enlistment in the US, submitted the proposal to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on March 30, according to the agency’s website. The SSS website notes that the change “transfers responsibility for enrolling individuals to the SSS” through integration with other federal data sources, which the agency says will result in a “streamlined” process. In the US, most men between the ages of 18 and 25 are already required to register. Failure to do so is a crime and can, theoretically, lead to five years in federal prison. While prison sentences are virtually nonexistent, failure to do so can also make an individual ineligible for federal student financial aid and federal jobs. Foreigners who fail to register may also be denied U.S. citizenship. Trump criticizes Iran over control of the Strait of Hormuz on the eve of negotiations The vast majority of US states and territories also automatically register men for selective service when driver’s licenses are issued. Despite these rules, compliance fell to 81% in 2024, according to government data. The new change in favor of automatic enlistment was approved by Congress in December 2025 as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, which authorizes funding for the US Armed Forces and their operations around the world. Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, who spearheaded the proposal, was quoted at the time as saying the measure would allow the government to “redirect resources.” “Basically, this means money for readiness and mobilization, rather than for education and advertising campaigns aimed at enlistment,” Houlahan said at the time, according to the military news website Military Times. READ ALSO: Negotiations with Iran must be positive, says Trump’s deputy; US delegation leaves for Islamabad Weakening Hezbollah and creating ‘buffer zone’: what Israel seeks in the war in Lebanon Cuban president says he will not resign under pressure from the Trump administration The move, however, has sparked fears among some Americans that the US is moving towards mandatory military service if the war with Iran intensifies or a new crisis emerges in the future. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt directly responded to a question about the draft and the possibility of American troops on Iranian soil during an interview with Fox News in early March. “It’s not part of the current plan, but the president, once again, is wisely keeping his options open,” Leavitt responded. “There is no greater priority or responsibility for this president than, of course, protecting the American people and protecting our troops.” Mandatory wartime military service has been implemented by the U.S. government six times in the country’s history, most recently during the Vietnam War. Approximately 1.8 million Americans were drafted during the war, which eventually led to the creation of an all-volunteer army starting in 1973. Mandatory conscription was reinstated by then-President Jimmy Carter in 1980.

Source link