<p>My mom is so goofy. She won't let me fill out the FAFSA because you have to registed with SS and she thinks I'll be drafted.</p>
<p>I was under the impression that, as the last male of my family name, it was impossible for me to be drafted. There is no one else in the family that can have kids at this point with my last name (other than me). I would also probably be a conscientious objector or flee to Vancouver if they did try to draft me. What should I tell her so I can get some damn money?!</p>
<p>On a side note, if my parents earn roughly 90k a year, have 30k in savings, and have about 900k worth of real estate/home that they plan on selling in the next couple years, is it even worth using the FAFSA. I wanted to be independent but the questions used to determine status pretty much guarantee that I will be considered dependent and have to use their tax forms.</p>
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My mom is so goofy. She won't let me fill out the FAFSA because you have to registed with SS and she thinks I'll be drafted.
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<p>Really? Does she understand how slim of a chance there is for a draft to be instituted? Or that you are required (legally) to register with the selective service?</p>
<p>You can be arrested if you do not register for selective service within 3 months of turning 18. Don't be stupid please, it is not worth it, and can haunt you for the rest of your life. There is absolutely no chance the draft will be reinstated.</p>
<p>If you ever apply for federal employment in the future and it's found that you did not apply for the selective service, you can pretty much kiss any clearance good-bye.</p>
<p>Just apply. It's not going to really affect you in any way.</p>
<p>Read this article (from Wikipedia and I remember seeing it in the news as well)</p>
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In 2003, several congressmen (Charles Rangel D-NY, James McDermott D-WA, John Conyers D-MI, John Lewis D-GA, Pete Stark D-CA, Neil Abercrombie D-HI) introduced legislation that would draft both men and women into either military or civilian government service, should there be a draft in the future. The Republican majority brought the bill up for a vote in the House of Representatives. It was defeated by a vote of 402-2.
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<p>(a little partisan jab here, but I remember reading that at least 1 of the two people who voted for this measure was a Democrat...)</p>
<p>That bill was never meant to pass, but to show how unpopular the idea still is even today.</p>
<p>I was not aware that one had to register once they'd turned 18! That's really good to know and I may as well do it through the FAFSA then. </p>
<p>The last male in the family thing isn't meant to be an excuse: it's what I've heard from several people.</p>
<p>I've tried convincing them of the irrationality of the draft being reinstated (especially since the Dems just took control :)) but they aren't too bright sometimes so I'm just going to go ahead and fill out the FAFSA and register. Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>True, you have to register with Selective Service if you're a male, once you turn 18. My S did not file FAFSA, but still had to register. There is no draft and there will be powerful forces opposing any draft as one of the prior posters indicated.
If you want some idea of what your family may qualify for, try some sample calculators. I've read that Princeton's website has a good one. We didn't bother registering with FAFSA because our EFC was much more than the costs of attending the school my S is at (he got generous merit aid).</p>
<p>Let's hope the warmongers are prevented from starting any more wars. </p>
<p>Regarding conscientious objector status, that's not something you just 'decide' to do if you are ever drafted. You need to establish a pattern of behavior and make statements NOW so that IF you are ever drafted, you can back up your claim that you are against war. There are 2 categories of co status - 1 in which you wouldn't mind a noncombat position and the other that you are completely against ALL war and will not contribute in any way. I suggest anyone who thinks they might want to claim co status in the event of a draft should research it NOW just so they will be educated on the subject. </p>
<p>They give stats on how few prosecutions there have been of draft evaders. However, that does not take into consideration the fact that our country no longer has Habeas Corpus (thanks to the warmonger administration) and the US now has sophisticated computer databases. I don't think evading the draft or going to Canada are options anymore, like they were in the Vietnam war era.</p>
<p>Claiming co status is completely legal but you really do need to get educated about it because it's not a guaranteed thing that you'll be granted your request, and the more documentation you have the better your chances will be.</p>
<p>I too was concerned about the FAFSA. I told my son that he should research the draft registration issue and make his decision irrespective of financial concerns. If he had felt strongly about not registering, I would have preferred to go into debt to pay for his college than to force him to register just to get funding. In the end, he decided to register and we filed the FAFSA. But there is a lot more to it than you think. There is actually a HUGE number of young men who do not register every year, and no one has been prosecuted in something like 20 years. They have just fallen thru the cracks. But, then again, there hasn't been a draft. They could very well start enforcing it if they bring back the draft. My son decided he didn't want to risk it, and chose to register as a co. Even though the draft is not a popular idea, keep in mind there's still 2 years to go with this warmonger pres. and he does not seem to care AT ALL what the people think. At least get all your facts before making such an important decision.</p>
<p>Regarding CO status, my religion is quite clear on its stance towards war. As I've been a self-selected member of the church since 13, I believe I've established a decent pattern. Either way, I'd figure something out.</p>
<p>Joev - You raise an interesting point. I just saw Pan's Labyrinth. It was a great movie that talked about questioning authority. You may want to consider seeing it as well. I have no problem fighting for my country if I believe in the cause - in this case, I do not. But I guess I don't have to worry - you or your theoretical son whom you've probably indoctrinated should be willing to fight in my place. What a wonderful philosophy you have!</p>
<p>And I don't plan on arguing whether Iraq is a just war or not: I have my opinion and you have yours, so leave it at that or you'll be talking to a brick wall.</p>
<p>The odds of being drafted aren't reduced much if you avoid the SS. But the odds of never getting any federal or state jobs are pretty high. Nevermind that if you are caught, you're pretty much screwed.</p>
<p>This is a no-brainer. Conscientious objections or not, avoiding SS is just a bad choice.</p>
<p>I am not recommending avoiding the SS. Being a CO does NOT mean avoiding the SS. But the risks are not static. They can vary according to the politics/war situation at the time. I am only advocating that anyone who is questioning draft registration get educated before making their decision. 25 years ago a lot of young men got out of it by going to Canada. That's not an option anymore. And it is naive for someone to think that he can just 'become' a CO if he ever got drafted. That's not how it works.</p>