In the late 1960s, as the United States expanded its involvement in the Vietnam War, the government introduced a draft lottery system based on birthdays. Many Americans opposed U.S. involvement in Vietnam and protested the draft, with some burning their draft cards as acts of resistance.
Under the lottery system, birthdays were randomly selected to determine the order in which eligible men could be called for military service. Men were required to register for the draft when they turned 18. Although the draft ended in 1973, the Selective Service registration system remains in place today. Since the end of the Vietnam War, the draft has received little attention until recently, when Donald Trump announced that a new system would be implemented.
An automatic registration system for the draft has been implemented across 46 states and territories, according to a 2024 report done by the Selective Service System (SSS). The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs has expanded the practice nationwide, with the system set to begin in December of this year. This was passed with bipartisan support, meaning that it was supported by both parties.
The new part of the National Defense Authorization Act was signed into law by Trump in late 2025. Under the updated law, eligible individuals will be automatically registered instead of signing up manually. This draft will apply to male U.S. citizens and “every other male person” in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 26 years old. This is also mandatory for green card holders, refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented men.
People who are exempt from the draft are individuals in the U.S. on non-immigrant visas, such as student, tourist, and diplomatic visas. Active-duty personnel and students at military colleges are exempt from the draft as well. People who are currently in hospitals, mental health institutions, or prisons are not required to register, but they are required to do so within 30 days of release.
Failing to register for the Selective Service is a felony and can lead to serious consequences, including the loss of access to federal student aid and government employment. Violation of the Selective Service Act can result in imprisonment for up to five years and/or fines of up to 250,000 dollars.
“It is crazy to think about this because my brother is going to be registered for the draft,” Caitllin Cho, CHS sophomore, said. “It makes you think of what people in wars are going through with their families. It is so strange to see it happening in our modern world.”
While automatic registration isn’t inherently dangerous, many students like Cho feel that this is a strange coincidence given the Iran-U.S. war, during which Trump himself has threatened a land invasion of Iran. Although it hasn’t been officially announced whether there will be a draft or not, the idea is on the table. It is important to note, however, that the law establishing automatic registration was passed before these tensions escalated.
“The president, as commander-in-chief, wants to continue to assess the success of this military operation,” Leavitt said on Fox News. “It’s not part of the current plan right now, but the president, again, wisely keeps his options on the table.”
There is no way to predict what will happen regarding the draft, but Trump’s new decisions have certainly sparked fear in students like Cho.
