If the draft was re-instated, what are the current laws for selection?

Question

If the draft was re-instated, what are the current laws concerning how the Selective Service System would pick names?

What is the age group of people who can be drafted? I understand that during the Vietnam War, males younger than 18 or 26 and older had no chance of being drafted. Is this still true today?

ALSO - Are there levels of priority? Are 25 year olds more or less likely to be drafted than 18 year olds if the draft was re-instated?

Answer 1

we start drafting with the letter "D",

Answer 2

Under current Selective Service law.

The draft would start with those turning 20 years old, during the year of the draft.

It would then go up in age, until it reached those turning 26 years old, during the year of the draft.

Since there are 2 million 20 year old males, according to the US Census.

I cannot see the draft ever drafting anyone older than 20 year olds.

There are no deferments available, except that university students may defer being drafted, until the end of the current semester.

Answer 3

It wasn't totally true then and it isn't totally true now. Your Selective Service Number is made up of severalnumerical elements. Let's start with one example: 50-12-87-110. How is it translated? You read it backwards. This means the person with this number is the 110th person, born in 1987, to be registered with Selective Service Local Board # 12 in the State of Hawaii. The call will go out initially for all men born in a certain year, with a registration number between 1 and 50 to show up for a physical to determine fitness for entry into the armed forces through induction. Once you pass the physical, your local board is notified. At a later time you will be inducted into the branch of the armed forces which needs you.
The reason for no one under 18 being drafted is that it is against the law. The only ones subject to induction are able-bodied males between the ages of 18 and 45. Congressman Rangel of New York introduced the National Service Act of 2006 to change the age limit from 45 to 42. It has not been enacted into law as yet.
I served as one who accomplished physicals at the induction center in Los Angeles during part of my 25 year Navy career.

Answer 4

18-26 are immediately draftable. However, they will start with 20 year olds, go all the way upto 26 year olds, and then take 18, 19 year olds last.