Selective Service was unknown to me

Jeremiah1

[Jeremiah1]

When I found out about the selective service registration I was devastated. I am 32 yrs. old, have a wife and three children and am struggling to make dinner much less a future. I was recently layed off for the second time in 1 yr. Going back to the unemployment office was something I dreaded. I heard that President Obama made it possible to recieve unemployment benefits while attending school to change your career!! Fantastic, I thought. After alot of thought and planning my wife and I decided this was best for our family. I went to my local college, filled out all the forms and registered. I paid the non refundable fees which left us with 60.00 to our names thinking, it will be alright. I was told to fill out an FAFSA application online to pay for the schooling, great because there is no way I could afford the schooling to become an electrical engineer. I fill it all out and am told my schooling is covered %100. Things were finally looking up until I was told that there was a problem with my application processing. I was told that I never registered for the selective service. I had never heard of the selective service before that email. I called the number in the email for the selective service. They explained this is the law and by the time your 18 and blah blah blah. No one told me, not school, not friends, not family!!! No one!!! I was told , Sir, I'm sure someone told you to go to the post office and fill out the card. No, no one did. Why wouldn't I have done it I asked. See, for me the military wasn't an option. I wanted to join the military while still in high school. My best friend entered the delayed entry program for the Marine Corps, I wanted to go Navy. All my mother had to do was sign the paperwork but she wouldn't , she said No. There was nothing the recruiter could do. I had just turned 16 yrs. old at that time. I was put out of the house that year for a multitude of reasons both my wrongs and my mothers. I was on the streets and bounced from friends houses, to the woods and then finally Jail. I turned 18 yrs. old in jail. As soon as I got out of jail I went to my local recruiters office to enlist only to find that I must first complete my 5 yrs of probation. Meanwhile it is discovered that I have bipolarism. The military wouldn't have taken me anyway. From age 17 to 26 was spent either in jail or on the street waiting for jail. I didn't have any real family or friends or any kind of hope. People didn't bother to lend a hand much less inform me of some post card. The worst part about this is that at 32 years old it is hard for me to find work even though I earned 2 diplomas in prison. I commited my last crime over 12 years ago. I now have a family of 5 that all depend on me through God and I can't return to school and become a more productive member of society like I did while incarcerated. All because of a secret post card. What may be common knowledge to some isn't so common to others. I think G.I. Joe said it best with, "And knowing is half the battle." They could've put the selective service requirements in the credits, I would've known, would be starting school in a few weeks and wouldn't be thinking of becoming a bigger criminal than I ever was before. See now I feel like I don't belong, I have never belonged and no matter what I do I get knocked down, it makes you want to knock back. Then I think of those other 4 innocent family members of mine. I just don't know what to do at this point. I will lose my home and everything I worked for to provide these 3 children the life I never had and my own government is helping that happen. To boot, now they accept felons in the service and it still doesn't help me. Isn't the service a federal job? How many enlisted felons serving in Iraq never filed a selective service registration? My grandfather, who is a WWII Veteran said with tears, "Jer, this isn't the same country I fought for and watched so much sacrificed for."

[Kenny Bunk]

Karl, as usual, I am shocked, shocked, I tell you, by your cynicism.

BTW, at 32, he can still join up, if he can straight for a month.

[parsifal]

Well, if you are bi-polar, maybe you did send one in and just forgot that you did. The gov’t loses stuff all the time. I have a friend who is bi-polar and dude wakes up in a different world everyday. Of course, he refuses to take his meds.

parsy, who just remembered to take his aleve. . .

[109ACS]

At least there were spaces between the words.

WhenIfoundoutabouttheselectiveserviceregistrationIwasdevastatedIam32yrsoldhaveawifeandthreechildrenandamstrugglingtomakedinnermuchlessafutureIwasrecentlylayedoffforthesecondtimein1yrGoingbacktotheunemploymentofficewassomethingIdreadedIheardthatPresidentObamamadeitpossibletorecieveunemploymentbenefitswhileattendingschooltochangeyourcareerFantasticIthoughtAfteralotofthoughtandplanningmywifeandIdecidedthiswasbestforourfamilyIwenttomylocalcollegefilledoutalltheformsandregisteredIpaidthenonrefundablefeeswhichleftuswith6000toournamesthinkingitwillbealrightIwastoldtofilloutanFAFSAapplicationonlinetopayfortheschoolinggreatbecausethereisnowayIcouldaffordtheschoolingtobecomeanelectricalengineerIfillitalloutandamtoldmyschoolingiscovered100ThingswerefinallylookingupuntilIwastoldthattherewasaproblemwithmyapplicationprocessingIwastoldthatIneverregisteredfortheselectiveserviceIhadneverheardoftheselectiveservicebeforethatemailIcalledthenumberintheemailfortheselectiveserviceTheyexplainedthisisthelawandbythetimeyour18andblahblahblahNoonetoldmenotschoolnotfriendsnotfamilyNooneIwastoldSirImsuresomeonetoldyoutogotothepostofficeandfilloutthecardNonoonedidWhywouldntIhavedoneitIaskedSeeformethemilitarywasntanoptionIwantedtojointhemilitarywhilestillinhighschoolMybestfriendenteredthedelayedentryprogramfortheMarineCorpsIwantedtogoNavyAllmymotherhadtodowassignthepaperworkbutshewouldntshesaidNoTherewasnothingtherecruitercoulddoIhadjustturned16yrsoldatthattimeIwasputoutofthehousethatyearforamultitudeofreasonsbothmywrongsandmymothersIwasonthestreetsandbouncedfromfriendshousestothewoodsandthenfinallyJailIturned18yrsoldinjailAssoonasIgotoutofjailIwenttomylocalrecruitersofficetoenlistonlytofindthatImustfirstcompletemy5yrsofprobationMeanwhileitisdiscoveredthatIhavebipolarismThemilitarywouldnthavetakenmeanywayFromage17to26wasspenteitherinjailoronthestreetwaitingforjailIdidnthaveanyrealfamilyorfriendsoranykindofhopePeopledidntbothertolendahandmuchlessinformmeofsomepostcardTheworstpartaboutthisisthatat32yearsolditishardformetofindworkeventhoughIearned2diplomasinprisonIcommitedmylastcrimeover12yearsagoInowhaveafamilyof5thatalldependonmethroughGodandIcantreturntoschoolandbecomeamoreproductivememberofsocietylikeIdidwhileincarceratedAllbecauseofasecretpostcardWhatmaybecommonknowledgetosomeisntsocommontoothersIthinkGIJoesaiditbestwithAndknowingishalfthebattleTheycouldveputtheselectiveservicerequirementsinthecreditsIwouldveknownwouldbestartingschoolinafewweeksandwouldntbethinkingofbecomingabiggercriminalthanIeverwasbeforeSeenowIfeellikeIdontbelongIhaveneverbelongedandnomatterwhatIdoIgetknockeddownitmakesyouwanttoknockbackThenIthinkofthoseother4innocentfamilymembersofmineIjustdontknowwhattodoatthispointIwilllosemyhomeandeverythingIworkedfortoprovidethese3childrenthelifeIneverhadandmyowngovernmentishelpingthathappenTobootnowtheyacceptfelonsintheserviceanditstilldoesnthelpmeIsnttheserviceafederaljobHowmanyenlistedfelonsservinginIraqneverfiledaselectiveserviceregistrationMygrandfatherwhoisaWWIIVeteransaidwithtearsJerthisisntthesamecountryIfoughtforandwatchedsomuchsacrificedfor

There, fixed it.

[Constitution Day]

Cum Grano Salis Magno.

LOL!

[KarlInOhio]

I just checked If you have passed your 26th birthday and are now being denied eligibility for Federal ... . I was wrong. There are still punishments after 25 years old for not having signed up, and it is too late to make it up.

[eyedigress]

lol! Life is hard.

[msg-84]

How many enlisted felons serving in Iraq never filed a selective service registration?

You are misinformed on this point.

1. Convicted felons are not allowed to serve in the Armed Forces. It would require a pardon from the President or Governor from the state where the conviction occurred to get such a person into any of the Armed Forces.

2. Any male who enlists in the Armed Forces immediately satisfies his Selective Service obligation. When one gets processed through MEPS, they will give him a paper stating this fact.

By the way, have you given the military any consideration in your job search?

[Disambiguator]

That makes for shorter paragraphs!

[ConservativeMind]

This paragraph section, and the following one, are an excellent brief insight into the issues and how to address them now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_Service_System#Who_must_register

[Arrowhead1952]

At least there were spaces between the words.

HE/SHE/IT COULD HAVE DONE IT IN ALL CAPS.

[ConservativeMind]

Excellent point! That could help immensely in no time!

[Tennessee Nana]

I get knocked down, it makes you want to knock back.

I turned 18 yrs. old in jail

From age 17 to 26 was spent either in jail or on the street waiting for jail.

I commited my last crime over 12 years ago

The worst part about this is that at 32 years old it is hard for me to find work even though I earned 2 diplomas in prison

I heard that President Obama made it possible to recieve unemployment benefits while attending school to change your career!!

My grandfather, who is a WWII Veteran said with tears, “Jer, this isn’t the same country I fought for and watched so much sacrificed for.”
_______________________________________________________

Yes, well.........

When you get so called “knocked down” it doesnt make me want to “knock back”

When I get so called “knocked down” it doesnt make me want to “knock back”

Why dont you knock on doors and get a job ???

Your grandfather is wasting his tears on you now...

He should have years ago...

1. taken you in when you had nowhere to go at 17 (or were you incorigible) ???..

2. told you about selective service ..

3. made you finish high school...

4. Loved you enough to kick your butt and make you straighten up...

Where was your loser fsther ???

With two college diplomas that the FReepers paid for, why do you need to go back to school for more ???

Why dont you use one or both of those expensive diplomas to get a job ???

Why dont you get a job at McDonalds ???

There are programs for ex-cons to get jobs..

Whats wrong with your wife working ???

And those 4 other lazy relatives that you “have to” support .. Why arent they working ???

Why did you have 3 kids you couldnt feed ???

And so on...

No sympathy here...

YES, I’m mean and nasty...

That’s what old fashion Nanas are like...

They expect you to be responsible for yourself and get a job...

BTW...

Is this The Onion ???

[humblegunner]

This dude needs to drop out, become a furry, and spend all his time on Second Life.

And post threads about it.

[autumnraine]

I remember commercial after commercial.

Register... it’s the law.

We are the same age within a few years, how did you not know?

[dfwgator]

I hadn’t thought about Selective Service in a long time, I remember the commercials back in the day when I registered, but I don’t hear that much about it now, I’d pretty much forgotten it was even still in place. I’ll need to remember that in 10 years when my son turns 18.

[109ACS]

HE/SHE/IT COULD HAVE DONE IT IN ALL CAPS.

WHENIFOUNDOUTABOUTTHESELECTIVESERVICEREGISTRATIONIWASDEVASTATEDIAM32YRSOLDHAVEAWIFEANDTHREECHILDRENANDAMSTRUGGLINGTOMAKEDINNERMUCHLESSAFUTUREIWASRECENTLYLAYEDOFFFORTHESECONDTIMEIN1YRGOINGBACKTOTHEUNEMPLOYMENTOFFICEWASSOMETHINGIDREADEDIHEARDTHATPRESIDENTOBAMAMADEITPOSSIBLETORECIEVEUNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITSWHILEATTENDINGSCHOOLTOCHANGEYOURCAREERFANTASTICITHOUGHTAFTERALOTOFTHOUGHTANDPLANNINGMYWIFEANDIDECIDEDTHISWASBESTFOROURFAMILYIWENTTOMYLOCALCOLLEGEFILLEDOUTALLTHEFORMSANDREGISTEREDIPAIDTHENONREFUNDABLEFEESWHICHLEFTUSWITH6000TOOURNAMESTHINKINGITWILLBEALRIGHTIWASTOLDTOFILLOUTANFAFSAAPPLICATIONONLINETOPAYFORTHESCHOOLINGGREATBECAUSETHEREISNOWAYICOULDAFFORDTHESCHOOLINGTOBECOMEANELECTRICALENGINEERIFILLITALLOUTANDAMTOLDMYSCHOOLINGISCOVERED100THINGSWEREFINALLYLOOKINGUPUNTILIWASTOLDTHATTHEREWASAPROBLEMWITHMYAPPLICATIONPROCESSINGIWASTOLDTHATINEVERREGISTEREDFORTHESELECTIVESERVICEIHADNEVERHEARDOFTHESELECTIVESERVICEBEFORETHATEMAILICALLEDTHENUMBERINTHEEMAILFORTHESELECTIVESERVICETHEYEXPLAINEDTHISISTHELAWANDBYTHETIMEYOUR18ANDBLAHBLAHBLAHNOONETOLDMENOTSCHOOLNOTFRIENDSNOTFAMILYNOONEIWASTOLDSIRIMSURESOMEONETOLDYOUTOGOTOTHEPOSTOFFICEANDFILLOUTTHECARDNONOONEDIDWHYWOULDNTIHAVEDONEITIASKEDSEEFORMETHEMILITARYWASNTANOPTIONIWANTEDTOJOINTHEMILITARYWHILESTILLINHIGHSCHOOLMYBESTFRIENDENTEREDTHEDELAYEDENTRYPROGRAMFORTHEMARINECORPSIWANTEDTOGONAVYALLMYMOTHERHADTODOWASSIGNTHEPAPERWORKBUTSHEWOULDNTSHESAIDNOTHEREWASNOTHINGTHERECRUITERCOULDDOIHADJUSTTURNED16YRSOLDATTHATTIMEIWASPUTOUTOFTHEHOUSETHATYEARFORAMULTITUDEOFREASONSBOTHMYWRONGSANDMYMOTHERSIWASONTHESTREETSANDBOUNCEDFROMFRIENDSHOUSESTOTHEWOODSANDTHENFINALLYJAILITURNED18YRSOLDINJAILASSOONASIGOTOUTOFJAILIWENTTOMYLOCALRECRUITERSOFFICETOENLISTONLYTOFINDTHATIMUSTFIRSTCOMPLETEMY5YRSOFPROBATIONMEANWHILEITISDISCOVEREDTHATIHAVEBIPOLARISMTHEMILITARYWOULDNTHAVETAKENMEANYWAYFROMAGE17TO26WASSPENTEITHERINJAILORONTHESTREETWAITINGFORJAILIDIDNTHAVEANYREALFAMILYORFRIENDSORANYKINDOFHOPEPEOPLEDIDNTBOTHERTOLENDAHANDMUCHLESSINFORMMEOFSOMEPOSTCARDTHEWORSTPARTABOUTTHISISTHATAT32YEARSOLDITISHARDFORMETOFINDWORKEVENTHOUGHIEARNED2DIPLOMASINPRISONICOMMITEDMYLASTCRIMEOVER12YEARSAGOINOWHAVEAFAMILYOF5THATALLDEPENDONMETHROUGHGODANDICANTRETURNTOSCHOOLANDBECOMEAMOREPRODUCTIVEMEMBEROFSOCIETYLIKEIDIDWHILEINCARCERATEDALLBECAUSEOFASECRETPOSTCARDWHATMAYBECOMMONKNOWLEDGETOSOMEISNTSOCOMMONTOOTHERSITHINKGIJOESAIDITBESTWITHANDKNOWINGISHALFTHEBATTLETHEYCOULDVEPUTTHESELECTIVESERVICEREQUIREMENTSINTHECREDITSIWOULDVEKNOWNWOULDBESTARTINGSCHOOLINAFEWWEEKSANDWOULDNTBETHINKINGOFBECOMINGABIGGERCRIMINALTHANIEVERWASBEFORESEENOWIFEELLIKEIDONTBELONGIHAVENEVERBELONGEDANDNOMATTERWHATIDOIGETKNOCKEDDOWNITMAKESYOUWANTTOKNOCKBACKTHENITHINKOFTHOSEOTHER4INNOCENTFAMILYMEMBERSOFMINEIJUSTDONTKNOWWHATTODOATTHISPOINTIWILLLOSEMYHOMEANDEVERYTHINGIWORKEDFORTOPROVIDETHESE3CHILDRENTHELIFEINEVERHADANDMYOWNGOVERNMENTISHELPINGTHATHAPPENTOBOOTNOWTHEYACCEPTFELONSINTHESERVICEANDITSTILLDOESNTHELPMEISNTTHESERVICEAFEDERALJOBHOWMANYENLISTEDFELONSSERVINGINIRAQNEVERFILEDASELECTIVESERVICEREGISTRATIONMYGRANDFATHERWHOISAWWIIVETERANSAIDWITHTEARSJERTHISISNTTHESAMECOUNTRYIFOUGHTFORANDWATCHEDSOMUCHSACRIFICEDFOR

Must I do all the work?

[Arrowhead1952]

Could have been former and now ZOTTED freeper Jeremiah
Last post was
Tuesday, October 24, 2006 10:17:34 PM · 47 of 115

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/by:jeremiah/index?brevity=full;tab=comments

http://www.freerepublic.com/~jeremiah/

[CharlesWayneCT]

That makes me wonder — if a female has a sex change operation after her 18th birthday, would she/he have to register for selective service?

[Arrowhead1952]

Good one - used Shift and F3.

[RogerWilko]

Strange thing. I have been trying to get on the selective service website ( www.sss.gov ) for the past 2 weeks. All I get when it connects is a blank screen. Anyone else have this problem

I just tried it, and it worked for me.