The Harlem News

Selective Service Board Outlines Draft Status

Want to know your draft status? This is the Selective Service System.

As 1959 begins, members of the Blaine County Selective Service Board are Clarence Simons of Turner, chairman, and Dr. C. E. Stineberg and Clay McCartney, both of Chinook. They alone, in conformity with the Selective Service Act, determine the policy of who is being called and who is not.

Following is an outline of your chances.

If you are a man between the ages of 22 and 26 and have no children, then the chances are you'll be putting on a new Army green uniform one of these days. This is the present situation nationally as well as in Blaine County, but always subject to change.

Delinquent registrants, those who fail to register within five days of their 18th birthday, do not keep the office informed of changes of address, or fail to comply with other requirements listed on registrant's classification card, are the first to be called. Volunteers are next. Through the Local Board office, a registrant may volunteer for two year service.

If the county quota is not met by manpower in the above two categories, non-volunteers are called by the Board. Fathers are passed over for the moment, but may be called later under existing regulations, if necessary. Childless non-volunteers are taken in the order of their birth dates, the oldest being called first.

There are few classifications under which service-age men may be deferred. A deferment extends to 36 years the age to which a male citizen may be subject to draft. These classifications include statutory deferment to complete high school, or the college semester in which a student is enrolled; deferments for college students who qualify by passing the Selective Service College Test, or by his class standing. Upon graduation, the registrant should expect to go into uniform.

Draft exemptions may be obtained by ministers of the Gospel, Divinity students, sole surviving sons, and certain officials of government.

There is of course, the well-known IV-F "unacceptable for service" classification for those rejected at the time of examination for physical, moral or mental reasons. These classifications are checked periodically.

The Department of Defense is presently calling about 8,000 to 9,000 per month.

Frederic August Baker of Harlem was released to the Naval Reserve on Jan. 26.