WASHINGTON,
DC (May 22, 2002) - The Selective Service
System today released its annual state-by-state
registration compliance report card, with
Delaware becoming the first state to reach
nearly 100 percent compliance since the Agency
began compiling this data. Nationally, registration
compliance held fairly steady at 86 percent,
down a percentage point from last year's high-water
mark of 87 percent.
Seven
states increased registration rates by 3 percent
or more, with Delaware leading the way at
9 percent. Louisiana, which has historically
had low compliance, saw a 2 percent increase,
from 75 percent to 77 percent, while Texas
and Hawaii remained steady at 79 percent and
75 percent respectively. Localities showing
reduced compliance included Vermont (4 percent),
Kansas (5 percent), Maine (5 percent), Rhode
Island (6 percent) and the District of Columbia
(8 percent).
"Although
we would have liked to have seen more and
greater gains - and certainly no reductions
- we are pleased with these numbers overall,"
said Selective Service System Director Alfred
Rascon. "Our outreach efforts to the educational
and community-based organizations that we
launched two years ago continue to work, and
prove that even with tight outreach budgets
and no paid advertising, innovation can yield
substantial results."
This
marks the third year that the Selective Service
System has issued its state-by-state report
card, measuring the percentage of eligible
men turning 20 who have registered with this
independent federal agency. Federal law requires
that virtually all young men living in the
U.S. register with Selective Service within
30 days of their 18th birthday. The American
people, through their local, state and federal
elected representatives, have made Selective
Service registration a requirement for securing
a number of opportunities, including federal
student loans, job training, jobs with the
federal government, and U.S. citizenship for
male immigrants.
Twenty-nine
states and 71 municipalities have similar
laws tying education, training or employment
opportunities for young men to Selective Service
registration. Additionally, some states are
making registration a requirement for men
seeking driver's licenses. Failure to register
is a felony punishable by up to five years
in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
"With
the events of the past year, Selective Service
registration is probably as important now
as it has been at any time in our nation's
history," said Rascon. "It sends a crystal
clear signal to adversaries of the United
States that we stand ready to mobilize national
manpower, if needed, to defend America in
a major crisis requiring reinstatement of
the draft."
He
noted that in the aftermath of the September
11 attacks, young men unequivocally showed
their support for registration by deluging
Selective Service's on-line registration site
with four times the normal traffic. However,
he said, like military recruiting and other
acts of patriotism, registration numbers quickly
declined to their pre-9/11 numbers, where
they have remained.
"The
post-9/11 spike in registration and the subsequent
return to previous levels hammers home to
us the point that we must be constantly aware
that 5,000 men turn 18 every day in this country."
Rascon said. "Absent an imminent threat and
constant reminders from all sides, many young
men still simply are not aware that registration
is the law, and the importance of registration
to our country."
Rascon
said his agency will continue to work innovatively
with organizations that reach young men and
their influencers to get the word out. These
include expanding the ties the Agency has
cultivated over the past two years with such
education organizations as the National Association
for Secondary School Principals and the American
School Counselors Association, and community-based
organizations like the Urban League.
"Our
Agency previously had to overcome two major
hurdles when we reached out to young men,"
Rascon said, "ignorance of the law and apathy
toward civic responsibility. The young men
of America have shed their apathy, and it's
up to us to keep reaching out to them to overcome
their lack of awareness."
#
# #
Camera-ready color or black & white velox
registration compliance map and a color, 3-year
registration compliance comparison chart are
available from Ms. Crisitina Miranda, 202-667-0901.
or
Adobe
Acrobat files for maps and a chart are available
at www.sss.gov/y2001stats.htm.
Video
News Release via Satellite Feed:
A video news release will be available via
satellite on May 22, 2002, from 2:30 to 3:00
p.m., EDT, on C-Band, Telstar 5, Transponder
23, Downlink: 4160 MHz(V), Audio is 6.2 and
6.8.
Questions: Contact Keira Rodriguez, (212)
736-2727, ext. 214.
News
Graphic and Photos:
A camera-ready news graphic (B&W and color)
can be downloaded on May 22, 2001, after 10:30
a.m., EDT, at http://www.sss.gov/y2001kstats.htm.
SELECTIVE
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG MEN
CONSEQUENCES
FOR NOT REGISTERING
The maximum penalty for failing to register
with Selective Service is a $250,000 fine
and up to five years in prison. Failure to
register will cause ineligibility for a number
of federal and state benefits including:
FEDERAL
JOBS
A man must be registered to be eligible for
jobs in the Executive Branch of the Federal
government and the U.S. Postal Service. This
applies only to men born after December 31,
1959.
STUDENT
FINANCIAL AID
Men who are not registered with Selective
Service cannot obtain Federal student loans
or grants. This includes Pell Grants, College
Work Study, Guaranteed Student/Plus Loans,
and National Direct Student Loans.
CITIZENSHIP
The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service
(INS) makes registration with Selective Service
a condition for U.S. citizenship, if the man
first arrived in the U.S. before his 26th
birthday and was required to register.
FEDERAL
JOB TRAINING
The Workforce Investment Act (formerly JTPA)
offers important job-training opportunities.
This program is only open to those men who
register with Selective Service.
STATE
JOBS, LOANS, AND TRAINING
Most states have added additional penalties
for those who fail to register with Selective
Service.
STATE DRIVER'S LICENSE LEGISLATION
As of May 21, 2001, seven states enacted driver's
license laws supporting Selective Service
registration: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Delaware,
Georgia, Hawaii, Alabama and Utah. These laws
require registration with Selective Service
in order to obtain a driver's license. The
following states have bills passed: Colorado,
Florida and Illinois. Others have draft bills:
California, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri,
North Carolina, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Tennessee and Wisconsin.
