Who Would Be Drafted in The US in a New World War?

The Path to Draft Activation

If a national emergency such as WW3 required activating this system for conscription, the process would follow specific steps. Starting a draft requires approval from both Congress and the President. They must amend the Military Selective Service Act to allow it. Once they provide this authorization, the Selective Service System has 193 days to switch from keeping records to conducting active conscription.

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How Would the Draft Lottery System Work?

Officials use a lottery system where they randomly draw birth dates at public events. These events are broadcast on national television and the internet.

Similar to the 1969 Vietnam-era lottery, each date corresponds to a number from 1 to 365. Officials call lower numbers first, military analysts confirm. Twenty-year-olds during the lottery year get called first. Those turning 21 follow, continuing through age 25. If more people are needed, later lottery phases would cover men turning 19, then 18.5 years old. Throughout this process, officials choose people equally from all states and U.S. territories. This maintains fair representation across urban and rural areas. Current enrollment levels provide a pool of several million potential draftees under full activation. However, receiving induction orders starts rather than ends the military evaluation process.