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Automatic Draft Registration Raises Questions Among Young Americans

HOWARD UNIVERSITY NEWS SERVICE — Registering for the Selective Service simply means a person’s information is entered into a system that could be used in the event of a national emergency. Being drafted, however, would only occur if the government officially reinstates the draft and begins calling individuals to serve in the military.

Published

3 months ago

July 20, 2026

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By Morgan Knight, Armani Durham and Zoe Cummings | Howard University News Service

As the federal government moves toward automatically registering men ages 18 to 25 for the Selective Service System, a long-standing requirement tied to a potential military draft, confusion and concern are growing among young Americans.

The policy shift is intended to streamline the registration process and increase compliance by using existing government databases, such as Social Security and DMV records, rather than relying on individuals to sign themselves up. While officials frame the change as administrative, many young people say it feels more significant.

John Aden Wilson, a 20-year-old college student who plans to join the D.C. National Guard, said his initial reaction was uncertainty and concern.

“I was a little bit worried,” Wilson said. “It feels like it sets up the future generation to become pawns of whatever administration is in power.”

Although Wilson is already involved in the military in a non-combat intelligence and logistics role, he said his perspective might be different if he had no connection to service.

“If I wasn’t already going into the National Guard, I think I would have been more worried,” he said. “Now it feels less like a choice and more like something that’s forced.”

The United States has not used a military draft since 1973, during the Vietnam War. Still, registration with the Selective Service has remained mandatory for men, though enforcement has historically been inconsistent. The move toward automatic registration changes how that requirement is experienced, particularly for younger generations who may not have been fully aware of it.

Wilson said many people his age misunderstand what the change actually means.

“A lot of people think this means you’re going to be sent off to war immediately, and that’s not true,” he said. “It just means you’re in the system. A draft would have to be officially activated for anything beyond that.”

He added that there is also confusion about the difference between registering and being drafted.

Registering for the Selective Service simply means a person’s information is entered into a system that could be used in the event of a national emergency. Being drafted, however, would only occur if the government officially reinstates the draft and begins calling individuals to serve in the military.

“I don’t think the government has clearly explained that difference,” Wilson said. “And that lack of clarity is what scares people.”

Misinformation circulating on social media has only added to the anxiety. Some posts falsely claim that automatic registration leads directly to military training or deployment.

“I’ve had people ask me if being registered means they have to go to basic training right away,” Wilson said. “That’s not the case at all.”

Still, he believes social media plays a mixed role.

“It depends on who you follow,” he said. “There’s misinformation out there, but there are also people trying to explain what’s really happening. You just have to be careful about where you get your information.”

Beyond confusion, the policy raises broader concerns about government authority and privacy. The use of centralized databases to automatically enroll individuals has prompted questions about how personal information is being used.

“That’s what worries me the most,” Wilson said. “Where is that information going, and how else is it being used? The government doesn’t always have the best track record when it comes to protecting people’s data.”

The change also shifts the symbolic meaning of registration. For some, signing up for the Selective Service was previously seen as a civic duty tied to patriotism. Automatic enrollment removes that element of personal choice.

“Signing up yourself felt like you were doing your part,” Wilson said. “Now it feels like, ‘We already have your name, you don’t have a say.’”

At the same time, not all young Americans view the policy through the same lens.

Brock Morgan, who is pursuing his master’s degree at Northwestern University, said military service was never part of his plans and views the potential return of a draft as deeply troubling.

To him, the decision represents a dangerous step backward.

“It’s a waste of time, resources, taxpayer money and most importantly American lives over something that didn’t need to happen,” Morgan said.

Wilson emphasized that, regardless of perspective, young people should remain engaged, particularly through voting.

“People think once something like this happens, there’s nothing they can do,” he said. “But that’s not true. Elections still matter. Congress still matters. That’s how you push back.”

For veterans like Keith Austin, who served nearly 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, the conversation reflects a deeper disconnect between civilians and the military.

“I think for you to understand the military, you need to have at least been part of it,” Austin said. “The reason we serve is to protect the freedoms people use every day.”

But for many young Americans, the issue is less about understanding the military and more about trust in the institutions making these decisions.

“I would fight to protect my country,” Wilson said. “But I think people want to understand what they’re being asked to fight for and why.”

As the policy moves forward, that question of purpose, transparency and trust remains at the center of the national conversation.

Morgan Knight, Armani Durham, and Zoe Cummings are reporters for HUNewsService.com

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Mayor Barbara Lee Holds Special State of the City Address in Deep East Oakland

In partnership with Rise East and the 40×40 Council, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee held a special 2026 State of the City East Oakland community conversation on Oct. 14. The purpose of bringing a State of the City address directly to the community was to celebrate East Oakland, highli

Published

2 days ago

October 19, 2026

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Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, left. moderated a community chat with (l.to r.) Selena Wilson, CEO of the East Oakland Youth Development Center; Carolyn “CJ” Johnson, CEO of the Black Cultural Zone; Dr. Noha Aboelata, CEO of Roots Health Center and Greg Hodge, CEO of the Brotherhood of Elders.

By Special to The Post

In partnership with Rise East and the 40×40 Council, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee held a special 2026 State of the City East Oakland community conversation on Oct. 14.

The purpose of bringing a State of the City address directly to the community was to celebrate East Oakland, highlight the work underway, and look ahead to what neighbors, local businesses, youth, funders, community organizations, and partners can accomplish together.

Held at the Roots Community Health/Parker Elementary School Campus at 7929 Ney Ave., the event was emceed by special guest Mark Curry, Oakland native, comedian, and actor.

Lee shared how Rise East and the 40×40 Council have brought together the knowledge, relationships, and resources of people and organizations committed to East Oakland.

Residents bring lived experience, community organizations bring trusted relationships and philanthropy, and businesses bring resources and opportunity, she said, then turned to the government’s role: public investment, services and policy.

But, Lee intoned, City Hall has a responsibility to help connect those efforts.

“I am committed to listening to residents, working across departments and sectors, and helping open doors to opportunity. We must connect neighborhood priorities to the decisions we make about housing, economic development, safety, health and our young people.

City Hall “must be accountable for the results,” Lee said. “The measure of success is what families experience: greater stability, more opportunity and a stronger sense that they belong and have a future here.

“Tonight is an opportunity to listen to the leaders doing this work, learn what is making a difference and identify where we can do more together,” the mayor said.

Lee went on to moderate a ‘fireside chat’ on the theme: Building Oakland’s Future Together — From Neighborhood Investment to Community Empowerment with:

Selena Wilson, CEO, East Oakland Youth Development Center
Greg Hodge, CEO, Brotherhood of Elders
Carolyn “CJ” Johnson, CEO, Black Cultural Zone
Dr. Noha Aboelata, CEO, Roots Health Center

Mayor Barbara Lee’s media relations department provided this report.

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Black History

Practitioners of African Traditional Spirituality Offer Ancestral Reverence Ritual Oct. 31

The Council for Global Ancestral Reverence will host “Ancestral Souls Rising” from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, featuring a three-day gathering of prayer and discussion. Led by elders and priests across the African diaspora, the seventh annual ritual honors those lost without traditional rites while addressing current social challenges. This year’s event connects ancestral wisdom with contemporary issues, including a two-day conversation inspired by Afro-Beat music focused on Black community solidarity and the sacred importance of voting. Read more for details on the ritual schedule and participants.

Published

2 days ago

October 19, 2026

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Oakland native Nedra Williams writes sacred symbols on the ground in San Leandro. Courtesy photo.

By Special to The Post

The Council for Global Ancestral Reverence (C4GAR), a group of elders who practice African traditional spirituality, will lead a three-day gathering of prayer and discussion from Oct. 31-Nov. 2.

Called ‘Ancestral Souls Rising,’ the council members and 21 priests will lead the prayers from many parts of the African diaspora: Africa, Portugal, and across the U.S. from Maryland to the Bay Area.

Now in its seventh year, the annual ritual began during the 2020 pandemic when hundreds of thousands of people died alone and were buried in mass graves without rites and rituals according to loved ones’ traditions.

This prayer event was and is intended to give peace to the departed and comfort for the living who still mourn. Each year, we gather names of new ancestors from living elders to elevate them into the “Great Hall of the Titans.”

In ensuing years, C4GAR added themes to the prayer gathering that referenced current events. In 2024, before the consequential presidential election, C4GAR called on people to vote, invoking the memory of Civil Rights Movement heroes and heroines like John Lewis, who urged “Good Trouble,” and Fannie Lou Hamer, who famously declared that she was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

The day of global Prayer on Oct. 31 will be followed by a two-day conversation inspired by “The Blueprint,” an Afro-Beat song by UyiosaEl, to write our new blueprint that supports solidarity and action in the Black community.

“Our elders have, for many generations, known the power of prayer, ritual and breath,” the council said in a statement.

It was and is their intention, then, to use the cultural wisdom, the gift of prayer “and the most sacred thing we have, our breath, to send energy into the world that invokes and honors our ancestors,” the council statement continued.

“Doing this creates a vibration that protects us and employs their ancient wisdom for the well-being of our communities,” the elders said.

The councilmembers, all over the age of 60, recognize that what is now history for so many was once their lived experience. And that history, those joys and sorrows, are now in their bodies.

To them, the uttered prayer and the sacred breath are oaths to an unfolding future that people can still shape.

The council members are Dr. Iyabeji Cathy Royal, Iyalocha Jennifer Dillard, Manbo Charlene Desir (Florida), Nana Sula Spirit (Louisiana), Baba Obafemi Feyemi, Ohen Nedra T. Williams, and Iyalocha Wanda Ravernell-Stewart Emeritus (Oakland).

This year, they also encourage everyone within their reach to VOTE because it is not only a secular and political act, but a sacred one. Remember, the ancestors were denied that right and died for it.

For tickets, go to:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/council-for-global-ancestral-reverence-presents-ancestral-souls-rising-26-tickets-2003127345814?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Community

It’s Time to Lose Weight Before the Holidays

Licensed internist Dr. H. Geoffrey Watson has joined gastroenterologist Dr. Ralph Peterson at Oakland’s MacArthur GI to address the rising obesity epidemic. With U.S. obesity rates reaching 42.4%, the clinic offers supervised weight-loss programs and screenings for fatty liver disease. Treatments include dietary counseling and various medications, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which regulate digestion and appetite. As certain populations continue to be disproportionately affected by chronic health conditions, medical experts are highlighting new tools available to help patients reach their goals before the holiday season. Read more.

Published

2 days ago

October 19, 2026

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By Special to The Post

Dr. H. Geoffrey Watson, a licensed internist, has joined renowned gastroenterologist Dr. Ralph Peterson at MacArthur GI in Oakland to address obesity, provide supervised weight-loss programs including GLP-1 therapy, and screen for and treat fatty liver disease.

The Obesity Epidemic

Obesity is associated with numerous chronic health problems, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, asthma, depression, joint disorders, fatty liver disease, and high cholesterol. Its causes include genetics, environment, stress, medication side effects, hormonal imbalances, and other factors.

Since 1999, the prevalence of obesity in the United States has risen from 30.5% to 42.4%. Childhood obesity rates are also climbing, with approximately 19.3% of children and adolescents now affected.

Measuring Obesity: Body Mass Index

Obesity is measured using a formula called the Body Mass Index (BMI). You can calculate your own BMI on most smartphones by searching “BMI calculator” and entering your height and weight. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is classified as overweight, and a BMI of 30 or greater is classified as obese.

Populations Disproportionately Affected

Obesity affects certain populations at higher rates. Among U.S. adults, obesity prevalence is 49.9% in Black adults, 45.6% in Hispanic adults, 41.4% in White adults, and 16.1% in Asian adults.

Treatment Options

A variety of treatments are available for obesity, including dietary counseling, exercise programs, bariatric surgery, and anti-obesity medications.

Common oral medications include:

• Adipex (phentermine): A stimulant that works by suppressing appetite.

• Contrave (bupropion/naltrexone): A combination of an antidepressant and an anti-addiction medication that helps control appetite and cravings.

• Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate): A combination of a stimulant and an anti-seizure medication that reduces appetite and cravings.

GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists were originally approved to treat type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 is a hormone produced naturally by the body that regulates digestion, blood sugar, and appetite by communicating with GLP-1 receptor cells throughout the digestive tract. These medications reduce cravings, appetite, and food intake by influencing the hunger hormones ghrelin, which stimulates hunger, and leptin, which signals fullness.

What We Offer

Drs. Peterson and Watson provide FDA-approved tirzepatide injections, a GLP-1 receptor agonist medication indicated for weight management. Each patient receives a comprehensive history and physical examination to ensure the safety and appropriateness of the medication as part of an overall weight-loss protocol. Dr. Peterson also offers ultrasound screening for fatty liver disease.

We look forward to helping you reach your weight-loss goals and feel your best this holiday season.

H. Geoffrey Watson, M.D., runs the MacArthur GI Clinic at 10520 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA. He can be reached at (510) 562-7467.