On the pages which follow,
I am pleased to present this annual summary of the work
done by a small, but vital Federal agency intimately
linked to America's overall defense preparedness. You
will also get to know a sample few of the nearly 10,500
outstanding men and women who, as uncompensated volunteers,
comprise Local and District Appeal Boards. Since 1940,
the Selective Service System has helped all Americans
provide for the common defense by establishing, refining,
operating, and keeping ready the means to conduct a
military draft. Today, there is no draft, but with the
continuing registration program for men turning 18,
Selective Service is America's low cost manpower insurance
policy for the all-volunteer military.
Preserving this unique
capability is very important to national security, but
the Selective Service System is doing more. In an era
of government downsizing and reduced budgets, we, the
men and women of this Agency, cannot merely dwell on
a proud past; we must demonstrate that America benefits
from the Agency's work each and every day. So, in the
spirit of the National Performance Review, we closely
examined our mission, programs and infrastructure in
FY 1996.
Without denigrating
any of our statutory responsibilities, and with strong
Administration support, we have enthusiastically embarked
on a new initiative called "Service to America."
The idea is simple, but profound. The registration program
affecting 1.9 million men who register each year will
serve a dual function in American society. From now
on, as an integral part of the acknowledgment process,
we are encouraging every new registrant to Serve America
today. In close cooperation with the Department of Defense
and the Corporation for National Service, we are informing
America's young men about opportunities open to them
in the U.S. Armed Forces and AmeriCorps.
This ancillary contribution
is meaningful, appropriate, and reinvigorating. As a
clearinghouse for "Service to America," this
Agency proudly continues to fulfill its time-honored
purpose in an additional way. We historically focused
the attention of young men on meeting society's wartime
needs, and now we also remind them about service opportunities
in peacetime. Thus, the Selective Service System remains
ready for tomorrow's crisis, while it serves today's
needs.
Gil Coronado