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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – The more than 3 million public high school teachers and coaches in the U.S. do a lot for their young charges. They help prepare their students for life after graduation. They teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college and to enter the job market. They help them stay safe and healthy on and off the field. But there’s something more they can provide that most people haven’t really thought about.
Teachers and coaches can encourage and assist young male students in signing up with the Selective Service System.
The Reasons
Consider this: A young man in the United States is required to register with the Selective Service when he becomes 18 years old. In addition, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has made registration with Selective Service a condition for U.S. citizenship for any man who comes to settle in the U.S. before his 26th birthday. Registration is the law and it’s a civic duty. Furthermore, failure to register carries consequences that can impact a young man’s future.
Failure to register closes the door to:
- Many college loans, Pell Grants, Federal Work-Study and Guaranteed Student PLUS Loans
- Federal job training and certification programs
- All federal jobs and many state and town jobs.
Registration is also required in some places when applying for a driver’s license.
How To Help
Fortunately, helping them fulfill this obligation can be simple. Most high schools in the country have volunteer registrars, generally a guidance counselor, teacher or administrative staff member nominated by the principal. The volunteer can be a man or woman but must be over 18, a U.S. citizen and, if a man, registered with the Selective Service himself. He or she provides the necessary forms and offers whatever help the students need to fill them out properly.
Where Else To Turn
Even if they are not the school registrar, teachers and coaches can advise their students to register and they can direct them to check block #22 on the federal FAFSA forms or to go online at www.sss.gov from a smartphone or computer. Registration forms are also available at anyU.S. post office.
Learn More
For more information, visit www.sss.gov.
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