What happens if you get drafted to war and don't go?

Those men were offered amnesty by President Gerald Ford in 1974 and pardoned by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Failing to register for the draft or join the military as directed is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 or a prison term of up to five years, or a combination of both.
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What is the punishment for refusing to be drafted?

Knowing and willful refusal to present oneself for and submit to registration as ordered is punishable by a maximum penalty of up to five years in Federal prison and/or a fine of US$250,000, although there have been no prosecutions of draft registration resisters since January 1986.
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Can you refuse to join the draft?

On paper, it's a crime to "knowingly fail or neglect or refuse" to register for the draft. The penalty is up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Last year, Selective Service referred 112,051 names and addresses of suspected violators to the Justice Department for possible prosecution.
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How do I stop being drafted legally?

How to Avoid a Draft
  1. Seeking Legal Advice.
  2. Filing for Conscientious Objector Status.
  3. Filing a Refugee Claim.
  4. Qualifying as Exempt, Deferring Service, or Refusing.
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Can you fail the draft?

Legally, you could be in a lot of trouble if you don't register: It's a felony. However, no one has been prosecuted for the crime since 1986. But that doesn't mean you won't have problems. If you fail to register for the draft by the time you turn 26, you are no longer able to do so.
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What Happens If You Dodge the Army Draft?



Can you refuse to go to war?

A conscientious objector (often shortened to conchie) is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion.
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Can girls get drafted?

As of January 2016, there has been no decision to require females to register with Selective Service, or be subject to a future military draft. Selective Service continues to register only men, ages 18 through 25. Prior to this latest update, Defense Secretary Leon E.
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What happens if you ignore the draft?

Draft evasion carries stiff punishments, including fines and years of imprisonment. After the Syrian Civil War broke out in 2011, many draft-age men began fleeing the country, sometimes paying thousands of dollars to be smuggled out. Others paid to have their names expunged from the draft rolls.
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Can you be forced to go to war?

Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day under various names.
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What are the odds of getting drafted?

Let's focus on football. There are 1,093,234 high school football players in the United States, and 6.5% of those high school players (or 71,060) will play in college. The drop off from college to the pros is even more dramatic: only 1.2% college-level players will get drafted to the NFL.
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Can I get drafted if I'm the only son?

the “only son”, “the last son to carry the family name,” and ” sole surviving son” must register with Selective Service. These sons can be drafted. However, they may be entitled to peacetime deferment if there is a military death in the immediate family.
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What are reasons to not be drafted?

6 Reasons You Probably Won't Be Conscripted, Even if We Bring Back the Draft
  • Obesity. An FMWR group fitness class student at work at the Sgt. ...
  • Education. Sgt. ...
  • Criminal Records. ...
  • Health Problems. ...
  • Drugs. ...
  • The Usual Reasons.
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What is the draft age limit?

If Congress and the president authorize a draft: The Selective Service System will start calling registered men ages 18-25 for duty. The men will be called in a sequence determined by random lottery number and year of birth. The men will be examined for mental, physical, and moral fitness for military service.
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Does the US still have a draft?

From 1940 until 1973, during both peacetime and periods of conflict, men were drafted to fill vacancies in the United States Armed Forces that could not be filled through voluntary means. Active conscription ended in 1973 when the U.S. Armed Forces moved to an all-volunteer military.
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What happens if a soldier doesn't want to go to war?

For instance, being AWOL for less than three days can result in a maximum penalty of confinement for one month and forfeiture of two-thirds pay for one month. After 30 days or more, service members face dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and a one-year confinement.
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What happens if u dont want to go to war?

Those who don't receive such status but refuse to fight can face court-martial and penalties from dishonorable discharge to prison. Pro- and anti-war sentiment divided the USA during the Vietnam War. From 1965 to 1973, 2.15 million people served in Vietnam. About 170,000 people earned status as conscientious objectors.
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Who is exempt from the draft?

1. The Vice-President of the United States, the Judges of the various Courts of the Untied States, the heads of the various executive departments of the Government, and the Governors of the several States. 2. The only son liable to military duty of a widow dependent upon his labor for support.
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Who gets drafted first for war?

The first men drafted would be those turning age 20 during the calendar year of the lottery. For example, if a draft were held in 2020, those men born in 2000 would be considered first.
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Did drafted soldiers get paid?

A recruit today is paid $307 per month, and a sergeant with four years of service makes about $450 plus $80 to $120 per month in housing benefits.
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Can you burn your draft card?

Burning draft cards was a criminal offense

Furthermore, after Congress adopted the Draft Card Mutilation Act of 1965 to promote the efficient operation of the Selective Service System and preempt venues of resistance, it became a criminal offense knowingly to destroy or mutilate one's draft card.
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Can you be drafted if you're obese?

Currently, 19% of U.S. adults ages 18-24 would not meet standards for accession to the U.S. military due to obesity. Those who do not meet body fat standards can join the armed forces if they reduce their body fat through diet and exercise.
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What would keep me from getting drafted?

Certain elected officials, exempt so long as they continue to hold office. Veterans, generally exempt from service in peacetime draft. Immigrants and dual nationals in some cases may be exempt from U.S. military service depending upon their place of residence and country of citizenship.
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Can I be drafted if I have asthma?

The military does not permit people with active asthma to enlist. However, those who have a history of asthma but have had no symptoms after the age of 13 years may plead eligibility by requesting a medical waiver. Approval for a medical waiver occurs on a case-to-case basis.
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Can you be drafted if you have ADHD?

While ADHD alone does not disqualify a person from military service, the Department of Defense (DOD) places significant enlistment restrictions on individuals with an ADHD diagnosis and/or prior treatment with medication. Has documentation of adverse academic, occupational, or work performance.
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Can you be drafted if you have flat feet?

Can you join the Army if you have flat feet? You can indeed join the army with a pronated foot type, however this wasn't always the case. There is no official history timestamp for when flat feet stopped being a disqualifying condition for army enlistment but it occurred roughly around the time the Vietnam war began.
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