Louisiana 15-year-olds register for draft; must fill out form to get driver's license

Denton Record-Chronicle ^ | November 14, 2004 | Associated Press Staff

[MeekOneGOP]

Louisiana 15-year-olds register for draft

State requires boys to fill out form to get driver's license

08:28 PM CST on Saturday, November 13, 2004

Associated Press

ALEXANDRIA, La. – To get a driver's license, 16-year-old Nathan Chevalier had to preregister for a nonexistent military draft.

"I just can't believe it," said Larry Chevalier, Nathan's father.

Even though his father had questions, Nathan filled out the form to register with the Selective Service so he could get his license.

"They wouldn't let him get it otherwise," Mr. Chevalier said Saturday.

Even a 15-year-old boy who wants a learner's permit in Louisiana must provide information to be forwarded, when he turns 18, to the Selective Service System, which would run a military draft if Congress authorized one.

The same goes for any 16-, 17- or 18-year-old who wants his – the law applies only to males – first driver's license or state ID card.

"They can't even be a conscientious objector to signing up," Mr. Chevalier said.

The state forwards the information to a federal center, which holds it until the boy's 18th birthday, when he is old enough to enter military service. It is used to automatically register him with Selective Service.

Few noticed the law when the Legislature passed it in 2003, officials aid.

Rudy Sanchez, general counsel for the federal Selective Service System, said he didn't know about Louisiana's preregistration requirement.

"Louisiana shouldn't be registering 15-year-olds. We don't even register 16-year-olds," he said last week.

Federal law provides only for "early submission" of information by a young man who is at least 17 years and three months old, he said. When he turns 18, it is forwarded to the proper database.

The law requires only that young men register within 30 days before or after their 18th birthdays.

Other states have passed laws requiring young men to register with Selective Service when they get a driver's license, but none requires it of 15-year-olds, he said.

Everett Bonner, state director of Selective Service, said information collected by the Office of Motor Vehicles is forwarded to a federal data management center.

"They do accept it. I can promise you. They do not process it until the young man turns 18," he said.

He said registering young men when they get their driver's licenses is a convenience and a way to help those who don't know they must register.

There is no national military draft, and President Bush has said there are no plans to reinstate one.

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Online at: http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/111404dntexlaregister.1ffd9.html

[buffyt]

I know, I was upset when my sons had to register for the draft when they were getting their driver's licenses years ago. I wondered what was up. I guess just in case of national emergency, we need to know where all the young men are. But they move around a lot from age 18 to at least 22 so they would not still be at the same address they were at when they were 15 or 16. During the college years they move about every year.

[jim35]

Well, there you have it. The AP can now show all those foolish voters how sorry they're gonna be for voting for Bush. We were warned by the MSM about Bush and the draft, and now they're even drafting 15 year olds!! /sarcasm off What exactly is the point of the AP covering this local story, if not to further incite the ignorant youth vote, for the next election? MoveOn.org will be inserting this onto their website any minute now.

[mark502inf]

"They can't even be a conscientious objector to signing up," Mr. Chevalier said.

Nope, no agenda here!

[MeekOneGOP]

I registered for the draft in 1972. My draft numbers for the two years that it was in effect until they killed it was well into the 300's.

They never called me up.

[Laurita]

And they'll never accept that the "reinstate the draft" legislation was introduced by d'Rats!
Notice that they slipped in that those poor ignorant voters had no idea what they were voting for
when they passed the law in 2003?

[joesnuffy]

Sounds more like overly 'ambitious' local bureaucrats than the feds...somebody trying to make work to keep their budget...

There is no draft and congress is not going to re-instate one...

At least not in the next four years

[foolscap]

I believe this has been the case for ages. It existed very much pre-9/11 at least for getting financial aid for school. You got to register if you want the money. There have been public service announcements about it for years. It does not mean there will be a draft now or anytime in the foreseeable future. If the need should arise they have a list of people and they know where and how to contact them.

[MeekOneGOP]

haha! Yeah, really. Can't be a CO for a draft that is collecting dust. Sitting there unused for 30 years, but the AP wants to keep the "Bush will draft your kids into the military" BS Liberal lie going still .....

[Laurita]

clarification: when the Legislature passed the law in 2003. Poor Louisianians, they have no control over their Legislators! Liberals unite! We must save them! /sarc

[TheSpottedOwl]

Bump and ping.

[backhoe]

 YOU DIDN'T USE THE "BUSH'S FAULT" STAMP!

(That's OK, chalk that up to Bush's fault, too) < |:)~

[MeekOneGOP]

haha! :^D

Mornin'!

[JesseHousman]

Louisiana getting ready for Civil War II?

[backhoe]

Howdy... here's another one that's handy to use:

Somehow, it's Boosh's fault.

[RAY]

Since when have young men in this U.S.A. not had to register with / for the "Selective Service"? It seems to me like a really good idea to be registered with "Selective Service" in order to get a driver's license.

Additionally, if our national security dictates we need a draft, so be it. Freedom and quality of life in this country is not free.

[Normal4me]

Drivng is a privledge, not a right. Don't want to sign up? Don't drive...simple.

[niteowl77]

I had to register in the early '70's as well- I still remember standing in the HS principal's office while filling out the paperwork. I don't recall being upset about it, nor can I dredge up memories of my parents freaking out... and I know that the local newspaper never went into a high dudgeon over "poor little edskid" having to register for the draft.

Objective journalism, thy name is dead.

[MeekOneGOP]

haha! A good one for the ZOT/Viking Kitty/Troll threads!

[trebb]

Bummer how the dirty state made it convenient for people to obey the law - they have the temerity to actually take the information at a point where most males are going to pass through, then filing for them to prevent them from forgetting to file at age 18. I signed up in 1970 and my draft number in 1972 (when they actually had a draft) was 300. Then, because my psychic advisor warned me that Bush would someday be president, I enlisted in 1974 to get it over with. I sure am glad I did that so I don't have to worry about being drafted today. /sarcasm