Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Selective Training and Service Act
References
Britannica AI Icon

Selective Training and Service Act

United States [1940]
Written by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

Quick Summary

The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 established the first peacetime draft in U.S. history. Signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, it required all males aged 21 to 36 to register with the Selective Service System. This act was a response to the ongoing World War II in Europe and Japan's aggressive actions in the Pacific, aiming to bolster unprepared U.S. armed forces.12

The Selective Service System manages military registration and the Alternative Service Program for conscientious objectors. While the draft was suspended in 1973, leading to an all-volunteer military, registration requirements were reinstated in 1980. Failure to register can result in penalties, including ineligibility for federal programs and jobs.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. Selective Service System
  2. Selective Service Acts

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.