There are currently no Conscientious Objector laws or regulations, because there is no military draft. (Only people currently in the military can register as C.O.) Speculations as to how the draft would operate, should it be started up again, are based on how it was run the last time, and may not prove to be accurate. Nevertheless, the U.S. government has a Selective Service System, and males turning 18 must legally register, in case a draft is instituted.

1. If you do not register, you cannot receive federal financial aid for college or be employed by the federal government.
2. When you register, there is no place on the form/card to indicate you want to be classified as C.O. Also, the card will be destroyed once its data is entered in the system, so nothing you "write in" will be saved.

IF YOU ANTICIPATE FILING FOR CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR STATUS, when and if the draft is started up again:
1. The Objector.org website has a page dealing with how to register.
2. Begin now to CREATE A VERIFIABLE PAPER TRAIL indicating your convictions. You can do this the following way.

  • Write a letter to your Meeting or Church, stating your convictions, including WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW YOU GOT THESE BELIEFS.
  • Send a copy of your letter to YOURSELF (as well as the Meeting) BY CERTIFIED MAIL.
  • When you receive the letter, keep it UNOPENED. The dates on the envelope will prove when you wrote the letter, and the sealed envelope will show that you have not changed it.
    3. Make your beliefs known, so adults can write letters stating you have held them for a long time.
    4. During the previous draft, the C.O. registration form asked "when, where, and how did you get these beliefs?" and draft review boards (the ones you must appeal to should your request for C.O. status be denied) also asked this question. They may do so again.


    SOME CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR RELATED LINKS ARE:

    QuakerHouse

    Objector.org

    Selective Services