Everything You Need to Know About the Military Draft

The Selective Service System, otherwise known as the draft, or conscription, requires almost all male U.S. citizens and immigrants, ages 18 through 25, to register with the government.

You may have seen the question "have you registered for the Selective Service" on applications for jobs, driver's licenses, student aid and more. But could you actually get called up into the military? Here’s everything you need to know about the draft.

The draft is officially known as the Selective Service. The Selective Service is a government bureau apart from the Department of Defense whose mission statement is: "To register men and maintain a system that, when authorized by the President and Congress, rapidly provides personnel in a fair and equitable manner while managing an alternative service program for conscientious objectors."