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RegistrationRegistration is a critical component of the SelectiveService mission to augment manpower to the DoD inthe event of a national emergency. If a draft becomesnecessary, the public must see that it is fair andequitable. No draft would be fair and equitable unlessall men are treated equally. For that to happen, themaximum number of eligible men must be registered.Thus, Selective Service seeks a 100-percent compliancerate, and continues to develop initiatives to strengthenexisting programs that have increased registrationcompliance across the United States and its territories.By registering, men comply with the federal law andremain eligible for student financial aid, job training,government employment, and security clearance.Immigrant men also protect their eligibility for U.S.citizenship.Anticipated FY 2008 BudgetThe House passed the Continuing Resolution (H.J.Res. 52) on September 26, 2007, the Senate passedit on September 27, 2007, and the President signedit on September 29, 2007. Selective Service beganFY 2008 under this Continuing Resolution, pendingCongressional passage of all appropriations bills.Selective Service anticipates 22 million for FY 2008. Thisis the amount that the House passed on June 28, 2007,and the Senate Subcommittee passed on September12, 2007. According to information received from theOffice of Management and Budget, the Agency’s budgetis currently scheduled to be 22 million. This budgettotal does not account for a potential .5 to 1.5 percentrescission, which would result in a reduction of 100thousand to 330 thousand. Based on the likelihood ofthis rescission, Selective Service anticipates a final FY2008 budget to be 21.7 million.Given the significant budget reduction from FY 2007( 2.8 million), scaling back Agency programs nowbecomes a necessity for FY 2008.For the purpose of consistency with past annual reportsto Congress, this annual report will reference calendaryear when comparing and talking about registrationcompliance rates and compliance statistics. To capturedata of men 18 through 25, Selective Service considersthe data collected for an entire calendar year, forbirthdays January 1 through December 31. All otherregistration comparisons will be discussed in fiscal year,to run parallel with the appropriation funding year.For CY 2006, the Selective Service national estimatedregistration compliance rate was 93 percent for menages 18 through 25 who were required to be registered.Primary factors contributing to registration compliancewere: (1) the enactment in states and territoriesRegistration SourcesFY 2007Registrars0.3%Direct Mail2.2% U.S.P.S.4.9%Compliance8.7%D.L. r DataExchange19.4%Alaska Perm Fund0.1%* About 2 pct. of registrants could not register online, and mailed a registration form.2007 Annual Report3

U.S. Postal Service Mail-Back Programof driver’s license legislation (DLL) encouragingregistration with Selective Service to obtain a driver’slicense, permit, or an identification card; (2) use of onlineregistration through Selective Service’s Web site, www.sss.gov; (3) emphasis on soliciting volunteer SelectiveService high school registrars; (4) additional mailings tostates having the lowest compliance rates with a highregistrant population potential, as well as nationwideto those 19-year-old men who had not registered; (5)increased liaison with U.S. Postal Service offices – theonly universal source of availability of Selective Serviceregistration forms; and, (6) focused, cost-effectiveregistration awareness initiatives and outreach effortsto educational and community leaders and groups.As of September 2007, the Agency received andprocessed nearly 124,000 Selective Service System(SSS) registration forms through the U.S. Postal ServiceMail-Back Program. This most vital program allows manyyoung men who do not have access to the Internet, whodo not have a driver’s license, or who do not yet have asocial security number to register with Selective Serviceat any U.S. Post Office. Most importantly, this programaffords young men in locales throughout the Nation theopportunity to fulfill their Selective Service registrationrequirement and a choice to register through the postoffice. During the fiscal year, the Agency revised itsregistration and change of information forms to meet thelatest Office of Management and Budget/Social SecurityAdministration privacy/identity theft requirements.Steps to Registration ComplianceTo assist in obtaining registration compliance, youngmen may register online through the Internet, orcomplete and return a SSS registration form, or if theform was sent directly by SSS, the man may register bytelephone.In addition, names of registration-age men are obtainedfrom State Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) andthe U.S. Department of Education. State DMV data areobtained from almost every state and territory of the UnitedStates that does not have mandatory DLL supportingthe Selective Service registration requirement. Othersources of data used in the compliance program are theU.S. Postal Service; high schools; the Departments ofDefense, Education, and Transportation; and the Officeof Personnel Management.The Agency continued special direct mailings to improveregistration awareness and compliance rates. Thesemailings were sent to potential registrants in localeswith large populations and estimated low registrationcompliance.4Knowledge Experience Commitmentll

Region Registration EffortsThe Selective Service System’s structure includes threefield regions covering all states, U.S. territories, and theDistrict of Columbia. Region I covers parts of the Midwestand the upper portion of the East Coast, including NewYork City, as a separate entity, and the Nation’s capital.Region II spans southeastern and south central portionsof the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. VirginIslands. Region III spans western United States, therest of the Midwest, Hawaii, Guam, and the NorthernMariana Islands.Region I’s CY 2006 registration compliance rates are 71percent compliance for men born in 1988 (age 18), and89 percent for those born in 1989 (age 19). For drafteligible men 20 through 25, the estimated compliancerate is 94 percent. Region II’s total estimated compliancerates, as reported in January 2007: year of birth (YOB)for 18 year olds, came in at 83 percent; YOB 19, 93percent; and YOB 20 - 25, 97 percent. Region III’sstatistics are YOB 18, 73 percent; YOB 19, 88 percent;and YOB 20 - 25, 96 percent.Data Management CenterThe Agency’s Data Management Center, located inIllinois, processes registrations and maintains thecomputer operations that support the Agency’s mission.Since its inception in September 1981, the Centerprocessed nearly 59 million registrations, 29 millionfile changes to these records, printed and mailed 185million letters and cards, and answered over 20 milliontelephone calls, in addition to other requirementsassociated with peacetime registration programs.In FY 2007, the Center processed over 2.1 millionregistrations and over 768,000 updates to registrantfiles, verified the registration status of over 2.6 millionmen through the Internet Web site, edited 80,000 paperresponses to compliance correspondence, processednearly 1.2 million telephone inquiries, and produced andmailed about 5 million pieces of computer-generatedcorrespondence to acknowledge or promote registration.Such work was accomplished by a seasoned workforce of less than 50 employees, maximizing the use oftechnology obtained through frugal spending over theyears.Most telephone inquiries were from men applying forfederal and state entitlement programs that require proofof registration. Eighty-five percent of calls to the DataManagement Center were processed by an interactivevoice response system. The remaining 15 percent of thecalls were more complex, and were handled by a smallgroup of agents. In addition to answering telephonecalls, this office also processes most paper inquiries tothe Agency.The number of requests for status information letterscontinues to be substantial. These letters are sent tomen who failed to register with Selective Service andare now past their 26th birthdays. These men may bedenied federal student financial aid, federal employmentopportunities, and job training because they failed toregister. The Center prepared and mailed about 50,000status information letters to non-registrants. Such workprovides not only a valuable service to the public, but alsoserves as a critical tool for state and federal agencies inthe administration of their entitlement programs.Even with 83 percent of its FY 2007 registration workloadbeing processed through automation, a small data entrystaff is still required to input nearly 800,000 transactionseach year, which includes manual registrations, registrantfile updates, compliance additions and updates, postoffice returns, and miscellaneous forms. The quality ofthis manual work is impeccable with a 99.970 percentaccuracy rate, directly attributing to an over 98 percentdeliverability rate for mailings to registrants in the primeyear group of vulnerability. Thus, the Agency’s small staffat the Data Management Center remains a vital part ofthe Selective Service System despite the majority ofelectronic transactions.Through the end of FY 2007, the Data ManagementCenter had registration processing systems in placefor 33 states, 3 territories, and the District of Columbia,that implemented driver’s license legislation, as wellas a system for processing registrations for AlaskaPermanent Fund applicants.2007 Annual Report5

Increasing Registration ComplianceThe Driver’s License InitiativeSince the objective of Selective Service registration isto have a fair and equitable return to conscription whenthe need arises, it is necessary to develop initiatives toincrease registration compliance. The most importantinitiative during the past few years has been the driver’slicense initiative, with the Agency working closely withstates and territories that pursue DLL in support ofthe Selective Service registration program. SelectiveService provided such assistance as reviewing draftlegislation, having a working agreement with theAmerican Association of Motor Vehicle Administratorsnetwork, and providing information management relatedtechnical expertise. By the end of FY 2007, 36 states(Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware,Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan,Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, NewHampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, SouthDakota, Tennessee, Texas,Utah, Virginia, West Virginia,andWisconsin),threeterritories (Guam, MarianaIslands, and Virgin Islands),plus the District of Columbiahad enacted DLL linked tothe registration requirement.As a result, 866,082 menwere registered in CY 2006,compared to 858,070 in CY2005. In lieu of DLL, Alaskaenacted legislation requiringregistration with SelectiveService as a precondition forreceiving proceeds from theAlaska Permanent Fund.Although the states that have enacted this type oflegislation comprise nearly 67 percent of the Nation’sregistrant population potential for 18 year olds and 73percent for draft eligible year of birth groups (20 to 25year olds), it is not enough. Selective Service’s goal isto achieve 100-percent DLL coverage in all states andterritories.For FY 2008, the primary emphasis on improving theoverall registration compliance rate will continue to beassisting states in their efforts to enact driver’s licenselegislation linked to Selective Service registration. Aseach state or territory goes online, the cost savingsfor the Agency will allow reallocation of resources toimprove customer service and the overall preparednessof the Agency.In Region I, ten states andthe District of Columbia haveenacted DLL, which tiesreceiving a state driver’s license, permit, or, in somecases, an identification card, to Selective Serviceregistration. Fourteen of Region II’s 15 states andterritories have enacted DLL. In Region III, 15 stateshave enacted DLL.6Knowledge Experience Commitmentll

Electronic RegistrationCost-effective programs continueto be employed and expandedto help young men register morequickly and easily. A larger portionof the registration process hasbecome automated because of DLL,Internet registration, tape-matchingprograms, and a telephone option.Eighty-three percent of registrationswere received electronically duringboth FY 2007 and FY 2006. Electronicregistrations are more cost-effectiveand provide better customer servicethan paper/card registrations whichare processed manually.With the cooperation of U.S.Citizenship and Immigration Services,immigrant men who are acceptedfor permanent U.S. residence alsobecome registered automatically with Selective Service.Furthermore, men of registration age who completean application for an immigrant visa with the U.S.Department of State are automatically registered. In FY2007, nearly 64,000 men were automatically registeredthrough this interagency agreement, compared to nearly63,000 men in FY 2006.In FY 2007, electronic sources of registrations includedInternet – 471,000, Department of Education – 317,000,Telephonic – 59,000, DoD – 21,000, Department ofLabor – 16,000, and Alaska Permanent Fund – 1,000.Early Submission ofRegistration InformationIn an effort to reach young men who are consideringdropping out of school, as well as to buttress on-timeregistration compliance, the Agency emphasized earlysubmission of registration information. This programallows 17-year-old men to submit registration information“early” through the Internet (www.sss.gov), driver’slicense applications, and other sources. The man’sinformation is held until 30 days before his 18th birthday,at which time his registration record is processed.Registration ReminderMail-Back ProgramAfter the first quarter of FY 2007, the Agency’sRegistration Reminder Mail-back Program wassuspended due to the leadership’s decision to shiftfunds to other priorities. The registration reminderpostcards suggested convenient options for registering.These mailings were sent to potential registrants inmetropolitan areas with large populations and lowregistration compliance.2007 Annual Report7

Increasing RegistrationAwarenessRegistrar ProgramsNearly 87 percent, or18,041, of the Nation’s20,759 high schools had anuncompensatedvolunteeracting as a Selective Servicehigh school registrar, whois authorized to administerand receive registrationsfrom young men. The HighSchool Registrar Programis an effective awarenessprogram that informs malestudents face-to-face aboutthe requirement to registerwithSelectiveService.Because registration is aprerequisite for federal jobopportunities and studentfinancial aid, this programcontinues to reduce the delay and disqualification manystudents could experience if their registration obligationis not fulfilled at the time they turned 18 years old. Theprogram also provides a convenient location for youngmen to register at their high schools. Increased publicawareness and use of online registration reduced theworkload on the uncompensated high school registrars.Selective Service board members and staff participatedin the “Adopt-a-High School” Program to encourageschools to appoint high school registrars and emphasizeonline registration.In Region I, 5,683 high schools, 80 percent of thetotal, participated in the Selective Service High SchoolRegistrar Program. In Region II, the total was 94percent with 5,921 high schools participating in the HighSchool Registrar Program out of a total of 6,322 highschools. South Carolina had 100 percent of registrarsparticipating in the program. In Region III, 88 percent ofthe high schools were participating in the High SchoolRegistrar Program. Wyoming had 100-percent registrarparticipation within their high schools.8The Agency also obtained increased cooperation fromnew uncompensated Selective Service registrars for theFarmworkers Opportunity Program and the WorkforceInvestment Act Program. The result was increasedregistration awareness and compliance by registrationage men participating in these programs. Increaseduse of online registrant verification resulted in improvedcustomer service by providing high school registrars,as well as registrants, student financial aid officers, andWorkforce Investment Act officials, with the ability tocheck and verify a man’s registration.Registration is the GoalThe Selective Service goal is registration, notprosecution. However

Learning Content Management System Military Entrance Processing Command Memorandum of Understanding Reserve Force Officer Selective Service System. Selective Service System Senior Staff At the end of Fiscal Year 2007 William A. Chatfield Director Ernest E. Garcia Deputy Director Rudy G. Sanchez