If you're an only child, can you still enroll in the armed forces?

Question

Is it the same for a man/woman?

A friend of mine told me he wasn't allowed to enroll in the army because he is an only child, is this true?

Answer 1

That is not true!

Contrary to popular belief, "only sons," "the last son to carry the family name," and "sole surviving sons" must register for the draft, they can be drafted, and they can serve in combat. However, they may be entitled to a peacetime deferment if there is a military death in the immediate family.

Provisions regarding the survivors of veterans were written into Selective Service law after World War II. Details have varied over the years, but the basic premise remains the same; where a family member has been lost as a result of military service, the remaining family members should be protected insofar as possible.

It is important to keep in mind that the provisions are directly related to service-connected deaths. The mere fact that a man is the only child or only son does not qualify him for consideration - he must be the survivor of one who died as a result of military service.

The present law provides a peacetime exemption for anyone whose parent or sibling was killed in action, died in line of duty, or died later as a result of disease or injury incurred in line of duty while serving in the armed forces of the United States. Also included are those whose parent or sibling is in a captured or missing status as a result of service in the armed forces during any period of time. This is known as the "surviving son or brother" provision. A man does not have to be the only surviving son in order to qualify; if there are four sons in a family and one dies in the line of duty, the remaining three would qualify for surviving son or brother status under the present law.

The surviving son or brother provision is applicable only in peacetime. It does not apply in time of war or national emergency declared by the Congress.

The original law, passed in 1948, exempted the sole surviving son of a family where one or more sons or daughters died as a result of military service. No restriction existed at that time to limit the exemption to peacetime. The provision was intended to protect families which had lost a member in World War II.

In 1964, recognizing that sons of World War II veterans were reaching draft age, Congress changed the law to include the sole surviving son of a family where the father, or one or more sons or daughters, died as a result of military service. At this time the peacetime-only restriction was also added to the law.

A further change was made in 1971, expanding the exemption to any son, not necessarily the sole surviving son, of a family where the father, brother or sister died as a result of military service. This provision was recently expanded to include mothers.

If you JOIN, your on your own!

This is how much they care!

Just after Christmas, amid the preparations for an expansion of American troop numbers in Iraq, the US army sent a personalised appeal to some 5,100 retired officers asking them to re-enlist. Among those who received a letter were some 200 who had suffered serious injuries in the Iraq war, and, incredibly, the families of 75 officers who had lost their lives in Iraq.

They are asking those KILLED IN IRAQ to re-enlist!

Answer 2

Thats humorous, I stay approximately 3 miles from this plant. I dont see any unlawful young toddlers working in the time of the streets in terror. in spite of the incontrovertible fact that, i'm fairly proud to stay in Butler County, the place Sherriff Jones has been top-rated the combat against illegals, and has even long previous so a methods as to sue the federal government for the expenses of jailing illegals that they decline to deport as they might desire to. The ICE practise grew to become into purely yet another step in permitting Butler County to proceed to combat the unlawful alien problem. touch your community government, and initiate encouraging them to get their community regulation Enforcement companies ICE qualified too!

Answer 3

Bull---the ONLY way a person cannot enlist is if they are the sole remaining male in the ENTIRE family tree---that means that person is the end of the line, they are the last person who can carry on the family genes.

Other than that, everyone is possibly eligible for enlistment and/or draft.

Answer 4

Yes you most definitly can still enlist in the Armed Forces if you are an only child

Answer 5

Your friend is wrong. Only children can enlist whether man or woman. My son (an only child ) enlisted and served during the Gulf Wars.

Answer 6

This accurate type of information is unavailable on Yahoo Answers.

You must visit with, or telephone your hometown military Recruiters for the very latest information. (A visit is best when getting your information.)

Right now, start making a list of all the questions you can think of. When the time comes, take your list of questions with you to the hometown military Recruiter and "pick their brain" to ensure all your questions are answered.

Answer 7

One of my ex's friends wasn't allowed to be deployed because he was the only male in his family (no cousins or anything) to carry on the family name! I'm guessing that wouldn't apply to females! Don't know all the details just what I was told...Hope this helps

Answer 8

When asking this type of question, please make sure you specify a nationality. In the US, the answers are Yes; Yes; and No, but that may not be the case in other countries.

Answer 9

YES to first two questions and NO, it is not true on the last question!!

Answer 10

Tell your freind to go to a recruiting office, and ask.

They'll be able to give your freind the actual truth.