Got my letter for the Selective Service today. What should i do?

Originally posted by infolurker
reply to post by mossme89

 

What should you do?

I would recommend that you be proactive and just JOIN UP!

Do a 4 year tour and rack up some benefits. The Air Force is pretty nice.

infolurker has the best advice of all. If you are sharp and sign up the AF and Navy have some training schools that are worth your time. For example if you are smart enough to be selected for the AF PMEL school and apply yourself you will never be out of work. I know the Navy has some good schools and the Army probably has some also but I do not know as much about the Army.

Anyone considering the military service should look at all branches and consider them as competitors. Do not pay much attention to what one branch says about the others. Take any and all aptitude tests offered before you sign up.
Get your results, and if you score high they will find more opportunities.

When I look at film about contemporary American wars I could crap myself.

Look at what "Jaws" did for swimming (gulp), or all those plane crash movies and documentaries did for the fear of flying.

Most people know they probably won't crash, and the chances are minimal ... but what if?
Nobody cared about that two decades ago before all this constant fear-mongering.

It's a bit like me in SA watching "Hotel Rwanda", or "Africa Addio".

Why can't we have those old US war movies, where men get drafted, and they get the gal and return home as heroes?
I think we need a re-make of "Take the High Ground", and then those forms will practically sign themselves.

Originally posted by Hijaqd
reply to post by mossme89

 

You are needing it for financial aid, then you are undraftable as long as you are attending college, post college if there was to be a draft you are then eligible to be an officer, so you're safe while in school and afterwards you can land a safer position.

Hijaqd, Your getting your info from some really old guys. Your information is correct for 1950-1968.

The latest version of the draft uses birthdays matched to lottery numbers 1-365 to pick eligibility for people entered into the draft for a single year. It was used for a couple years before he all volunteer program we have now. The low numbers were called to fill draft slots. I recall the highest number called up was below 50. So everyone knew their status and they were subject to the draft for only one year. A high number matched to your birthday for your year of eligibility is a pass forever from compulsory military service. A number 1-35 on your birthday meant you would be called up, no deferements.

Who can forget Bill Clinton trying to get continued deferments in graduate school until he heard his birthday was assigned a very high number, then Slick Willy reversed course and tried to be counted in the draft for that year.

reply to post by whatwasthat


Good to know, was not aware that they had made any changes, thanks for the info

Many jaded individuals will blather about your rights and freedoms but they don't walk in your shoes and aren't affected by your decisions. They want to make political statements with your future. I recommend you sign the forms. Your chances of being drafted are nil and the benefits [student loans, etc.] far outweigh the detriments.
As has been said, if you are unsure of your direction, consider enlisting, or at least take the exams. The exams will tell you something about your skills and abilities in an unbiased fashion. If you do consider the military, there are many good schools in the services that will train you for civilian jobs which will also allow you to try out a career path. For construction, the US Navy CB schools are tough to beat. If you want law enforcement, the USCG offers many opportunities with their LEDET's and is the only service authorized to enforce civilian laws.
There are many others, such as computer training, welding, NDT, machining, nuclear power, etc., that will also readily translate into the civilian world.

reply to post by mossme89




What an arrogant freeloading pussy. You sit there wanting tax payer assistance for a higher education, so you can have a tax payer funded job. But consider yourself as "Too smart and too good" to actually serve your country (at the taxpayers expence). I would pay good money to watch a Drill Instructor show you how much of "A perfect candidate" you would be. A stint in the military might do what your parents failed to do and that is teach you how to be a man. At 17...You do not have a clue about the world....Oh yeah...Thats right...your 17 you already know it all.

reply to post by Badkarma2007


I also note the increase in whiners. Many of these complain about lost imaginary "rights" and oppressive government but are unwilling to serve for a long list of reasons that they have learned by rote. These folks could use a little time with a USMC gunnery sergeant to help them discover their true worth. There are also some immigrants who do nothing but criticize and gripe while playing the system but for some reason never go back to the wonderful place they came from.

Wow! I just flashed back to 1968 and Vietnam. I registered, but also packed a bag for Canada and some flippers to swim across the Detroit River.
(Later I got #126 in the lottery, so I was gonna go for sure...but thankfully the draft was abolished by then)

Just fill it out and be done with it.

1) You don't have a choice.
2) Ask any of your friends in the sevice, there is PLENTY of volenteers.
3) Because of #2 a Draft isnt going to happen
4) Only a war with China would cause a Draft, and that isnt likely to happen in all reality. They enjoy robbing us blind finantially, and we don't have the balls to pick a fight with them.

reply to post by brainranger


Thank you for serving. I suspect you probably wouldn't want the OP next to you in combat anyway.

Originally posted by Alda1981
I had no idea BRAVE MEN invade other countries for making oil companies rich whilst killing innocent families... ... everyday i learn something!your husband is a disgrace and same goes to any other person feeling PROUD for serving under these orders....

Yep, once again, a "well informed ATS Poster" is squalling about the US military "killing innocent families" while completely ignoring the times when insurgents set off a bomb and kill women and children in a market place.

Calling a woman's husband a disgrace? Wow, another internet tough guy. Get a grip. Get a life.

I never registered with Selective Service. But then again I enlisted in the USAF when I was 17 1/2 years old, and left for basic training at 18 years 1 month old. The only time it ever came up was when my top secret clearance came up for renewal in my 16th year in. I had to get a waiver letter from my squadron commander because I never registered. I retired at 20 years 1 month of active duty.

Originally posted by OrphenFire
reply to post by mydarkpassenger

 

As a former Sailor, I assert that there can be horrific deaths in the Navy just as bad or worse than those sleeping in the dirt. Fires are the main concern aboard a vessel, and burning to death is not a good thing. Not to mention drowning if you are blown off the ship or if it sinks. There is nothing less horrifying about dying at sea, and sometimes, a lot of times, it can be much worse than dying on land. If you don't drown, you could be adrift for days or weeks or even months, and you will dehydrate, which is another horrible way to die. Dying quickly is in fact less likely at sea than it is on land, unless you are right where a torpedo or missile impacts the hull of your ship.

As a former submarine officer; if death hits it will be damned quick at 1200 feet down.

reply to post by mydarkpassenger


You're talking about submarines. I've never served aboard a sub.

reply to post by Badkarma2007

If that's honestly how you feel, then have fun being a pawn of your nation's leaders and so-called Department of 'Defense'. They wouldn't hesitate to spend your life, and the lives of your friends, if they were spent manipulating a rival nation with strong-arm tactics to benefit themselves. They'd make a show of mourning, yes, but the fact that they would carry on as always would show their insincerity.
Some folks are not morally comfortable being amongst people who are trained to kill, and shouldn't be shamed into implicitly supporting the war machine. What ever happened to individual thought?

common dude,

get a tic to israel or mexico or russia!

defect! way more money in that!

shoot off a couple toes!!

you are like 17, right?

tell em' you want to go back to "NAM" ya, section 8, might work.


just go dude.

join and do the best you can, you can get some great bennies from the gov.

reply to post by mydarkpassenger


you're alot of fun,

i bet a catastrophic hull breach would be quick at 1200ft.

I didn't sign up for a while after i got the first letter in the mail. I refused, so they sent more threatening letters saying if i don't register ill have a warrant out for my arrest and id have to pay a huuuge fine. My mother made me do it. I don't know if they can do that though.

As other people have said there is such a small chance of a draft.... After Vietnam I think the country learned their lesson, plus we have plenty of willing soldiers to protect our freedoms. Look at other countries like China, Israel, Russia, Mexico, and half of Africa who have some type of conscription!

reply to post by mossme89


If you are on zoloft then the military does not need you. Short of ww3 no draft is coming. Most branches of service have raised their standards allowing less in. Only about 40 percent of applicants make it. That is a lower acceptance rate than public universities.