If the President and Congress authorized a military draft, the Selective Service System (SSS) would take the following steps:
1. Randomly select men in order of birth year, starting with those 19-25 years old and finishing with those who are 18.
2. Examine these men for mental, physical, and moral fitness.
3. Each man qualified for military service would have an opportunity to apply for conscientious objector status, which includes an appearance before a local board to explain his beliefs. According to the SSS, “the man’s lifestyle prior to making his claim must reflect his current claims.”
4. If approved, he would become a conscientious objector and be required to work for 24 months for a business or program like CASP (Conservative Anabaptist Service Program) that in some way benefits the health, safety, and interests of the United States.
CASP projects are a collaborative effort between CAM and 20 church groups that organize alternative service projects approved by the SSS. In 2024, 11 of these groups completed 13 forestry, construction, and conservation projects through CASP to maintain their status with the SSS. The young men did rigorous work in a disciplined environment with teaching and Bible studies that reinforced their convictions.
Although a military draft in the near future is unlikely, these projects were a blessing to the people and government of the United States and helped ensure our young men can have wholesome alternative service opportunities if a draft were enacted.
