Learning Not Recruiting

Student & Family Rights & Privacy Committee (aka Learning Not Recruiting) - focusing on truth in recruitment, protection of student privacy when desired from release to military recruiters, limiting recruiter access to students to only what is required by federal law rather than preferential access, and educating students, families, schools and the community about these important matters for the protection of youth. Also check out our MySpace page.

NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD - "Questions Recruiters Don't Want You to Ask..." wallet card. Print off one for yourself and a friend and keep with you to ward off pesky recruiters. download PDF file

AS YOUNG PEOPLE APPROACH AGE 18...THINKING ABOUT REGISTRATION FOR SELECTIVE SERVICE

A CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION FILE

Building a conscientious objector (CO) file now is a good idea for any young person who wants to preserve their CO rights as a potential future option, as well as needed for those already committed to this path. This includes both young men AND young women. The plans for a re-introduction of any draft will most assuredly include both, even as young women are not required to register at this time, although they can voluntarily register even now. And if you know any young people past age 25, it is not a poor idea for them as well. At least one Selective Service/Department of Defense plan (February 2003) not only expands registration to both sexes, but increases the age of registration through age 35.

CO files should include personal statements and can be as lengthy and in-depth as the person desires. It can include things like photographs and programs to demonstrate your commitment to your CO belief (from things like lectures and peace demonstrations you've attended). Anything which will support your position. However, the key elements are your self-written materials, which describe what you believe and why you believe it.

Those beliefs need not be connected to a specific religious tradition, although if you happen to be so-connected, it can't hurt either. (Quakers and Church of the Brethren are among the more recognized denominations by those on draft boards). However, almost all faith traditions have some statement in support of peace, and many have specific statements in support of CO's. If it's your case, then a faith tradition position would be an important statement to include in the file.

If you begin a CO file, you should share your written statements, and hold discussions with trusted family, friends and allies, who will then be familiar with your beliefs and your commitment. Despite the fact that parents and other relatives know you best and have a much deeper relationship with you, and therefore, can "vouch" for your sincerity, immediate relatives may become a less-than-trusted witness for you in front of a draft board, if push came to shove. Those people, it would be stated, are "biased" and only people who don't have "a stake" in you will be most trusted to best describe what they know of you.

However, do not hesitate to have these close family members and friends write their own statements on your behalf for your file. But definitely invite others to as well. They do not even have to believe the same things about CO that you do. Their main purpose is to vouch for your sincerity in YOUR beliefs. They can describe times where they have witnessed your commitment to your beliefs.

These all become part of your CO record. Include family, friends, employers, teachers, ministers, counselors, or anyone who has personal knowledge of you and an interest in adding to your material. Think about two or three people who, if ever needed in the future, could be a witness to your commitment.

You can also file your CO statement at a few organizations that are sympathetic so that it is well documented that your belief is sincere. These organizations have working documents to help you think about and frame your beliefs. (See websites below).

REGISTERING FOR SELECTIVE SERVICE: THE HANG-UPS

Specifically regarding registration for Selective Service System (SSS), a few comments, then some suggested actions:

Both federal and state laws have now made it impossible for young men to negotiate life without selective service registration. A small handful of men stay the course of resistance. But federal college aid is withheld without registration, including grants and loans. Under Ohio's Governor Celeste, beginning in 1986, all state student financial aid is now held hostage, and any male who is not registered must pay out-of-state tuition

In most states, including Ohio, you will not be able to receive or renew a driver's license past the age of 18 without registration. This one portal is often how military recruiters find young adults who have taken privacy seriously in the past, including those who "opted-out" of data sharing with military recruiters while in high school--for those 18 and above, the BMV reports and then SSS works hand-in-glove with military recruiters. Driver's license registration reporting to SSS for any male 18 to 25 became an Ohio law under Governor Taft in August, 2002.

Additionally, young men who resist registration are banned from ever holding a federal job or from receiving federal jobs training. Further, registration is a requirement for non-citizen young men if they are in the US. Without it, they will forever be denied citizenship.

The place where it is often the most hard for parents to take a stand along side their young men who refuse draft registration are the threatening letters. But some steadying results can be offered there, especially if the man wants to be the one calling the shots on exactly when he registers, rather than just acquiescing on his 18th birthday. (Actually, SSS now accepts registration documents from young men who are 17-years-and-3 months and "holds" that record until the date the man reaches 18. The exception to the "hold": the contact data is mined and shared with military recruiters as another means to actively begin relentless recruitment marketing.)

Should you choose not to register exactly at 18 (federal law says it must be done from 30 days before to 30 days after a male's 18th birthday), you will likely get a "friendly" reminder. (This seems one of the many incomprehensible aspects of the system....they already know exactly who and where you are. They already know your birth date and social security number. Through school, jobs, learner's permits, etc. etc., you've already left a trail for years and years. However, the only part SSS lacks is your signature, legally agreeing to registration for selective service. So, you've agreed to putting yourself into a future draft by that signature.)

That first letter is a "friendly" oh, by the way....type. The second letter often comes with heavy threat. If SSS was to prosecute, and you would be found guilty, they could fine you up to $250,000 and sentence you to 5 years in jail. They also state in the letter that they are turning your name over to the Department of Justice. Take a breath. Because of the large number of non-registrants, it would be hard to prosecute them all. In fact, no one has been prosecuted since 1985 for non-registration. Obviously, there are no guarantees, but the likelihood seems quite slim right now. Many young men who have pursued this route get this letter and then NOTHING else happens. No further contact. The whole thing just stops, and no one takes any action against them at all.

Some young men ages 16 or 17 to 21 who do not pursue college funding aid wait it out until their drivers' licenses are next due for renewal at age 21. Then, before they renew their drivers' licenses, they register for selective service. And in those states where drivers' licenses are not held hostage (becoming fewer all the time), young men might still work this through for an even longer period of time.

At times, handling this matter in this way offers some men a feeling that they have some control. And even a number of those men will register before they turn 26 so that they have an avenue held open for any future college funding, federal jobs training, and such. After age 26, there is no avenue remaining to resolve non-registration.

Regardless of drivers' licenses, there's no way around the college funding aid thing. Therefore, next described is a procedure you can choose to begin a CO paper trail...your actual selective service registration itself, if you choose to register and to begin documenting a potential claim for conscientious objection.

SELECTIVE SERVICE REGISTRATION: SOME PROCEDURES

Many justifiably believe it is a mistake to do any of this on-line or on the phone. (If it were me, even if I wasn't going to pursue the next outlined procedures for registering for selective service, I would never pursue the registration itself on-line. A requirement for a social security number alone would rule that out for me.) Get a copy of the paper form at any U.S. post office.

Also, do not do what the SSS sets-up with the registration post card, Don't mail anything back with private info revealed on a very non-private post card registration, a private info trail available for all to see. Use an envelope.

If you are deciding to register using any claim to CO, the registration card has scant blank white space available. But you can make good use of the white spaces directly in the center of your contact information and write in that area "I am a conscientious objector to war." (Stay toward the center of the card, as it will be microfilmed and might get clipped. The original record is then destroyed.) Complete the rest of the card, name, address, social security number, sex, birth date and signature.

IMPORTANT: Before you mail the registration in an envelope,

Take photocopies, as described next, of the completed card.
Fold a paper copy into a tri-fold itself and seal it with tape all along the edge.
Mail that copy to yourself on the same day you mail the envelope to the SSS. Both will then be postmarked on the same day.
For insurance sake, you may actually want to mail yourself a second copy so that the first is not your only evidence.
When you receives that copy(ies) back in the mail, do not break the seal. This now becomes your first dated document for the CO file.
Make one additional reference copy to hold onto for yourself, not mailing it or anything, so you can make reference to exactly what you sent.

Selective Service will confirm your data, register your "signature" ascent to draft registration, microfilm the card, and promptly destroy the original (so your "official" CO recording is destroyed). They will make no acknowledgment that you stated that you are a CO.

Instead, they will return to you a multi-part registration acknowledgment. That will include your "draft card" which includes data info and social security number, and a newly assigned Selective Service Number (beginning with your birth year, followed by a sequential numbering based on the registrants from that birth year.) The acknowledgment also contains a Change of Information Form (again in the form of a privacy invading post card), along with advertising space for one of the military service branches.

Take that original acknowledgment. It has plenty of white space in the Change of Information section. In the white space, write to the effect: "I am a conscientious objector to war. I told you that fact when I sent in my registration card. I am writing now to correct the record." Date it and sign it. With this document, follow the above procedure, again making three copies.

Keep the SSS's original Registration Acknowledgment Card--your "draft" card (SSS Form 3A). Tear off the Change of Information (SSS Form 3B).
Put the change of information form into an envelope addressed to SSS. Send this certified mail, return receipt requested. When received, keep the postal receipt attached to your reference copy of this mailing.
Tri-fold and seal along the whole edge with tape each of two copies and address both to yourself.
Mail all the envelope and the two sealed copies all on the same date.
Do not open your copies when received but secure them in your CO file.
Keep a reference copy

You now have two valid, un-opened, date-stamped pieces of evidence of your on-the-record statement to SSS, both stating that you are a CO.

The Selective Service system should now mail you a letter, an invaluable document to have. Therein, they acknowledge that you claimed you are a CO. They will write: "However, we do not register people as CO's" or something to that effect. BUT, the importance of this letter is that they officially acknowledged your intentions. This letter of acknowledgment is a very helpful piece of material to add to your CO file. If they don't mail this letter, repeat the process in number 6 until you gets them to acknowledge your intention.

FURTHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND...

Center on Conscience & War

http://www.centeronconscience.org/index.shtml

Especially in reference to the above thoughts, check out their website for a printable document "What Do I Believe About War?" for a comprehensive discussion on conscientious objection and key questions to use when writing a CO statement. Additionally, the CCW is a repository for an individual's CO statement, if you so desire.

American Friends Service Committee Youth and Militarism Project

http://www.afsc.org/youthmil/conscientious-objection/default.htm

Each of these organizations provides links to other places where additional information can be found, including on current enlistment issues, becoming a CO after enlistment, discussing military issues within your school communities, etc.

February 28, 2006
For Immediate Release
For additional information contact:
Christine Link, Executive Director, 216.472.2220
Steve Miller, Chair, ACLU of Northwest Ohio
ACLU of Ohio Web site: www.acluohio.org

ACLU Calls on Toledo Schools to Protect Students' Private Information

Toledo, OH - The ACLU of Northwest Ohio sent a letter to Toledo Public Schools urging the school system to protect students' personal, private information. The schools have addressed this issue in the past, but have adequate protection to ensure student information is kept secure and private, and that preferential access to the information is not given to one group over another.."

ACLU of Northwest Ohio Chair Linda See said, "Although the school administration passed a resolution addressing the issue of securing students' private information, there is still a great deal more that should be done to provide the best protection for our students' personal data."

See went on, "Some of the most troubling provisions that have not been addressed include the failure of the Toledo school system to have a district wide opt-out system and the preferential treatment given to military."

The school board began discussions on methods to protect students' privacy following several concerned parents and officials voicing their unease regarding military recruiters having unfettered access to information including students' full name, address, phone number and other personal data.

Many parents voiced concern that students and parents were uninformed about ways to opt-out of providing their information to military recruiters or were only educated about it after their child's information was taken by the recruiters.

See added, "Parents and students should have complete control over who is allowed to access their personal, private information. The Toledo Schools have an obligation to empower students and parents so that they may decide who views their information and who does not."