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."

[Rio]

You need to get a keyboard with one of these:

[HamiltonJay]

It may be nothing more than BS, but no need to be uncivil about it. It may be real, and if it is real, the guy needs encouragement and pointed in the right way, not attacked. If its fake, they aren’t going to care about the attacks anyway...

[Spunky]

I am twice your age female and knew about the Selective Service. There were adds on the TV all the time telling you to go to the Post Office and sign up for the Selective Service.

Also it would seem to me if you went to the recruiter's office to sign up even if your mother wouldn't sign they would have automatically signed you up for the Selective Service at that time. I know this because my grandson signed up for Job Corp and they asked him if he had signed up for the Selective Service and he told them "no." The Job Corp recruiter said I have to automatically sign you up then before you can go into the Job Corp.

[netmilsmom]

Exactly!

[armymarinemom]

Oh come on!! My sons all got notices in the mail to sign up and they had all already joined the service in delayed entry programs by then. Did your family never check the mail?

[Tennessee Nana]

Welcome, I think, n00b...

Selective Service has been a way of life here in the United States on this planet called Earth for decades...

Where have you been ???

On Calypso Louie Farakhan’s Mother Ship ???

[ConservativeMind]

Well, actually I think it is not possible to submit it after that.

If you become a citizen after 25, you are not required to have signed up.

[paulycy]

[Tijeras_Slim]

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

[Hoffer Rand]

Guess you don’t drive either. Every DMV I’ve been in has signs up with all the information you need about signing up for Selective Service.

In fact, I’m having a hard time believing you got those two degrees without having to answer a question about registering for SS. All the college paperwork I’ve filled out had that question on it.

[boxerblues]

Ignorance of the law is no excuse

[ALPAPilot]

I never sign up with Selective Service either. Hopefully 15 good years in the U.S. Navy is recompense.

[taxcontrol]

Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Selective Service registrations requirements have been posted at every post office in the nation since it’s inception.

[msg-84]

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."

I'm sure your WWII Vet Grandfather can see the issue with you neglecting your Selective Service obligation some 14 years ago.

I hope you get this straightened out soon. I will keep you and all laid-off families in my prayers.

[KarlInOhio]

You can't download a paper copy of the FAFSA and entering the electronic one requires a SS number, birthdate, etc. The government publication "Completing the FAFSA" also says that selective service registration is only required for men between 18 and 25. There is no reference to being above 25 but never having filled one out.

I say zot him because he's just making this up if he really is 32.

[Kenny Bunk]

Cum Grano Salis Magno.

CC:,
Oprah
BHO, JR.
BHO, II
Mr. B. Soetoro
Mr. S. Claus
Ms. T. Fairy
ACORN Offices (ALL)
Mr. G.W. Bush (whose fault this is)

[TheCipher]

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 ? Seems strange for a gov website to be down that long.

[Uncle Ike]

” If you’re a troll like everyone but me seems to detect effortlessly “

I think this guy has ‘trolled’ FR on a number of occasions, before... (under different ‘nicks’..)

The ‘long-sad-story’ sans paragraphs writing style seems familiar....

(of course, I could be suffering a pretty detailed deja-vu....)

[Spunky]

"Selective Service requirement is only for men between 18 and 25. Once you get past 25 I don't think it matters anymore."

What matters is that since he didn't sign up, the penalty is he cannot get any government loans etc;.

[ConservativeMind]

• What happens if an 18-year-old does not register? It's a felony to not register. The punishment includes fines of up to $250,000 or five years in prison.

• Are there other ramifications for failing to register? In some states, the Selective Service and drivers license application systems are linked. In Delaware, for example, young men over 18 cannot get a driver's license if they have not registered with the Selective Service. In all 50 states, students who fail to register are not eligible for student loans or college grants, government jobs or federally funded job training. And immigrants who do not register may be denied citizenship.

• Is anyone exempt? All men, ages 18-25, must register, including conscientious objectors and the disabled - in the event of a draft, they can register their objections or handicaps then. Immigrants, including illegal aliens, refugees and men in this country on green cards, are required to register as well. There are a very few exceptions, including young men already on full-time, active military duty, and men in hospitals, mental institutions or in jail, but they must register within 30 days of release. Also exempt: immigrants who are here on student or tourist visas, or because they or their families are part of a diplomatic mission.
  
  http://youngadults.about.com/od/legalissues/a/Selective.htm