Following news that the United States is moving to a system that would have eligible men automatically added to the conscription database, many have been left shocked at quite how severe the fines are for failing to register for the draft.
There hasn't been a mandatory draft in the United States for over half a century, as the government ditched conscription just a few years before the end of the Vietnam war and has kept military service completely voluntary since then.
Despite this, all eligible individuals have to register themselves for what's known as Selective Service System (SSS) once they reach the minimum age of 18, as otherwise they'll be subject to a surprisingly harsh punishment.
While there has been no consequences of signing up to the SSS since 1973, it legally subjects you to military conscription in the event of a 'national emergency', effectively providing the president with millions of potential soldiers at the drop of the hat.
Advert
Considering the recent increased age limit for military sign ups, this could perhaps be employed by President Donald Trump amid the conflict in Iran as some think that there's a shortage of available troops.
The recently signed 2026 National Defense Authorization Act will soon make it so that all eligible individuals will be automatically enrolled into a new digital version of the SSS, but there's still an active penalty for failing to register.
According to the Selective Service System's official website, "if required to register, failure to register is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or 5 years imprisonment," and that doesn't even consider the possibility of dodging the draft if it was enacted by the government.
Both the first and the least likely citizens to be drafted in the event that conscription returns have been revealed, but there's a good chance that the vast majority of citizens won't fall into the small number of job types likely exempt from mandatory military service.
Additionally, the SSS also stipulates that anyone "who knowingly counsels, aids, or abets another to fail to comply with the registration" will also face the exact same penalties, making it just as dangerous to advise against the draft as it is to skip it yourself.
What's more, President Trump could change these rules upon the return of conscription to make the draft even more all-encompassing, ensuring that more people than ever will be eligible to fight a foreign war despite the man himself avoided military service during the Vietnam war.