The United States will begin automatically registering eligible men for the military draft starting in December, following a change aimed at simplifying the current self-registration system and reducing administrative costs.
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The update stems from a rule proposed by the Selective Service System (SSS), the federal agency responsible for maintaining a database of individuals who could be called for service in a national emergency. According to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, the proposal was submitted on 30 March and is currently under review before final approval.
Most American men aged 18 to 25 are already legally required to register with the Selective Service. However, the new policy will shift responsibility for registration from individuals to the government.
Shift to automatic registration
The change was mandated by the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, passed in December 2025. Under the legislation, the Selective Service will use federal data sources to automatically enroll eligible men into the system.
Officials say the move is designed to streamline the process while lowering administrative expenses associated with the current requirement that individuals register themselves.
If the rule is finalised, men will be automatically added to the registry within 30 days of their 18th birthday.
Background to the draft system
The United States has not conducted a military draft since the Vietnam War. The country shifted to an all-volunteer military in 1973.
Seven years later, in response to rising Cold War tensions, then-president Jimmy Carter reinstated the Selective Service registration system in 1980. The system was designed to ensure that the government could rapidly mobilise personnel during a national emergency.
The registry can be used to supply personnel to the military and to organise alternative service for conscientious objectors, but only if authorised by both the president and Congress.
Debate amid tensions with Iran
The issue has recently drawn attention amid the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, which is currently under a fragile two-week ceasefire.
Speculation about whether a draft could be reinstated has increased during the crisis. In March, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that a draft was “not part of the current plan right now”, though she added that President Donald Trump keeps “options on the table”.
However, the president cannot restore the draft through executive action alone. Congress would need to pass legislation amending the Military Selective Service Act before the president could order the induction of personnel into the armed forces.
Penalties for failing to register
Although the draft itself has not been used in decades, registration with the Selective Service remains mandatory for most men.
Failing to register is a criminal offence that can carry penalties including fines of up to $250,000 and a possible prison sentence of up to five years. It can also make individuals ineligible for federal employment opportunities, job-training programmes and some forms of state-funded financial aid.
Immigrants who fail to register may also risk losing the chance to obtain US citizenship.
Women are still not required to register for the draft. In recent years, lawmakers have repeatedly proposed expanding the requirement to include women as part of annual defence legislation, but those provisions have been removed before final votes on the bills.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 9 April 2026
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