Sons registering for the draft (selective service)

[Dawn in MI]

What are the pros and cons, if any, of registering online at http://www.sss.gov versus through the mail?

Thanks!

Dawn

[LittleHouseHomeschool]

Dawn,

 

I would wait for your son to turn 18. They may just register him automatically. That's what happened to us. They sent us a note in the mail to inform us that our son was registered. The letter came about three days after his birthday.

[Dawn in MI]

Since his birthday is coming in just a few weeks, I guess we will just wait and see. I have 2 older sons, but for some reason I have blanked out about how they registered....although whatever they did is probably outdated now anyway.

Thanks again!

Dawn

[Hannah C.]

It is also possible to register when you get your driver's license or state ID updated, I think. But I'm not sure.

[Grace is Sufficient]

My oldest turns 18 in April :willy_nilly: and it just occurred to me recently that this is something we need to figure out. Last time I was in the post office, I looked for flyers that I remember seeing once before, but they weren't there anymore....

 

weird, weird, weird.

[Dawn in MI]

but it seems things have changed.

--Dawn

[Quiver0f10]

I'm pretty sure my boys did it at the PO too.

[Photo Ninja]

One ds did it at the post office and the other did it online. Online was easy.

[LBS]

from his school, and it was the same as the one we later got from the Post Office. It asks for all his information, birthdate and SSN, on a postcard! Mail is secure and all, but that seemed careless. There was a staff member at public school, who would help the guys do it online, but for some reason my son did not. I thought he had. The warnings are dire (like certain time after birthday with no registration gets severe penalties) so we filled out the card, put in a letter, in an envelope, and got his draft card in return mail, pretty much. It said he was to carry it in his wallet, I believe and had his SSN printed on it. Well, duh. I'm preaching to my kids about keeping numbers secure, and memorizing things like that....and here this comes. SO I made a copy for my file, and he put the original in his file. I hope.

 

About.com says its easiest to just register on-line. It looks easiest. Here tis.

 

LBS

[Chris in VA]

I don't think anyone is registered automatically--:confused: Pretty sure you do it when you get your license or sign up intentionally.

[LittleHouseHomeschool]

Hmmm...I'm not sure. My son received a card in the mail saying he was registered. I can't recall if we had to mail something back from that notice or not. I do know that in that notice they gave him a card to put in his wallet.

 

Maybe he signed up when he got his learner's permit? (He doesn't have a regular driver's license yet.) Or maybe he signed up when he tried out the Navy Sea Cadets for a few months when he was fifteen?

 

Either way, he's registered...and he didn't have to go look anywhere to do it. It came to him in the mail.

[TravelingChris]

Yes, I think in some states, in order to get a license or a learning permit, you have to agree to be registered when you turn 18. I think that is what happened to my son. I was just thinking the other day that I need to check whether he changed his address when he moved since you need to keep the addresses current until age 25 or if you join the military (that is what my dh did).

[Nicole M]

Online is super easy. Last year when my son turned 18, he rolled out of bed on his birthday, staggered to the computer, and with pillow marks still on his face registered both for the selective service and to vote.

[Julie in MN]

Last year when my son turned 18, he rolled out of bed on his birthday, staggered to the computer, and with pillow marks still on his face registered both for the selective service and to vote.

 

Such a cute picture :)

[Susan C.]

Yes, I think in some states, in order to get a license or a learning permit, you have to agree to be registered when you turn 18. I think that is what happened to my son. I was just thinking the other day that I need to check whether he changed his address when he moved since you need to keep the addresses current until age 25 or if you join the military (that is what my dh did).

 

 

Same here.

[Spock]

My oldest signed up when we filled in the FAFSA for college financial aid. (One question asked if he had registered, and when we said he had not, it took us to the site to register.)

[Brenda in MA]

My oldest signed up when we filled in the FAFSA for college financial aid. (One question asked if he had registered, and when we said he had not, it took us to the site to register.)

 

My son also registered through the FAFSA, but we had to complete the FAFSA for him before he turned 18, and I remember there was a box to check for something like "sign me up when I turn 18". After he turned 18, he got something in the mail saying he was registered.

 

HTH,

Brenda

[QueenCat]

We did it online because we could print out the confirmation as proof it had been done, instead of waiting for it to come in the mail.

[Brindee]

My ds signed up online. It was easy. DH hovered around just in case! :D

[Miss Marple]

Hmmm...I'm not sure. My son received a card in the mail saying he was registered. I can't recall if we had to mail something back from that notice or not. I do know that in that notice they gave him a card to put in his wallet.

 

Maybe he signed up when he got his learner's permit? (He doesn't have a regular driver's license yet.) Or maybe he signed up when he tried out the Navy Sea Cadets for a few months when he was fifteen?

 

Either way, he's registered...and he didn't have to go look anywhere to do it. It came to him in the mail.

 

Same here. A nice card arrived in the mail telling him that he is registered. We didn't have to do anything or send anything back.