what is selective service

The Selective Service System is an independent agency of the United States government that maintains information on U.S. citizens and other U.S. residents potentially subject to military conscription. It is a program that sets up a fair way to register eligible men for military service in case a national emergency requires rapid expansion of the Armed Forces. Registration with the Selective Service is required by law for nearly all male U.S. citizens and male immigrants, aged 18 through 25. While there is currently no draft, registration with the Selective Service System ensures operational readiness in a fair and equitable manner, and if authorized by the President and Congress, the agency would rapidly provide personnel to the Department of Defense while at the same time providing an Alternative Service Program for conscientious objectors