Here's a website for anyone interested in learning more about CO

[babylonsister]

(conscientious objector) status, enlisted or not. (Found on Michael Moore website/cross posted in Vets Group):

http://www.peace-out.com/

[Gregorian]

1. Thanks!

I know someone who's getting started on his son's CO.

[lligrd]

2. Thank You

My son turns 18 in 3 days and the Selective Service has already sent us a registration form. How the hell did they know he was turning 18? I don't know if it is better to just register since they already know about him or ignore it. Damn Bush is ruining what should be a happy day for my son.

[babylonsister]

3. You're welcome, Iligrd, and welcome to DU. I know many on DU

have asked for info on CO status and how one gets it. I thought this site looked pretty comprehensive, and like the fact that you can contact real people to get questions answered.

[madmunchie]

4. My son was overseas in the Airforce when he was sent Selective

Service notices....

[lligrd]

6. He Certainly Won't Be Filling Out That Form

since I ripped it into pieces. I figure he's still a minor and his mail belongs to me. Now I need to figure out what the implications of registering are. I don't care about the benefits you lose by not registering but I don't want him put on Dumbya's radar screen either. There is no way in Hell that he is ever going to fight for Cheney's oil and world domination.

[madmunchie]

7. He is already on the radar....he can register as a Conscientious

Objector .....you can send a letter saying that you are Cindy Sheehan II. That should scare the shit out of them... You can also ask if the Bush twins are serving.

[lligrd]

8. LOL I Love The Second Choice

Hah, if they think Cindy is bad ... just wait till they try to take my son.

[TreasonousBastard]

10. That's not a very good idea, since...

he can still be drafted anyway, and by not registering he won't be eligible for ANY federal employment, benefits, or programs.

Well, maybe not "any" but it's a really rotten deal if you don't register and not worth it. And, for every year you don't register, they can add another year to the age they can draft you. Or something like that.

Best things to do, should there ever actually be a draft, are study all of the medical reasons to be considered unfit and start building a case for consciencious objection.

It's possible that the physicals they give might not find something that could lead to a 4-F, so good documentation of anything he might have would be necessary.

How to build a case for conscientious objection? It's not that easy but the first thing to do is write Conscientious Objector somewhere in the white space in the middle of the form, since they scan the forms. Then, membership in a Peace Church, affidavits from clergy and peace activists, a history of peace activity, and all sorts of similar stuff will be looked at by the draft board before he's reclassifed.

Right now, nobody has any classification, since that will only happen if and when a draft is started.

Oh, by the way, the Supreme Court has already ruled that it is not discriminatory to draft only men, so don't even think about a suit claiming women get a free ride on this one.

[bigtree]

5. sweet!

great find. thanks! :hi:

[TreasonousBastard]

9. And here's another that's been around for years...

http://www.centeronconscience.org/

I was one of their counselors a while back.