Discussion In a few months I will be required to register for military service in my country.

[sla_porra22]

I'll need to enlist in a few months. I have until July to do it. I honestly don't want to go, but I've been seriously considering trying to pass the draft and using the weapons at the barracks to commit suicide. Perhaps it would be the best opportunity I could have, and I'm very torn about whether or not to ask to serve in the army. Has anyone else considered using this to their advantage? Do you think it could work?

 

[Worndown]

May I ask what country?

 

[Dejected 55]

Randomly... men are required in the US to register for selective service (military draft) by the time they are 18. But funnily enough, I do not remember this ever being discussed when I was in school. Like, it never came up at all... not even in high school. I was 17 when I graduated high school and was most of a full year of college done before I turned 18. The ONLY reason I knew to register was my father had been in the Air Force and he talked about it.

I was born in 1970. Was I alone in the experience of never having it come up at any point during my life outside of my father? I wonder how many people grow up not knowing they are supposed to register.

 

[sla_porra22]

Randomly... men are required in the US to register for selective service (military draft) by the time they are 18. But funnily enough, I do not remember this ever being discussed when I was in school. Like, it never came up at all... not even in high school. I was 17 when I graduated high school and was most of a full year of college done before I turned 18. The ONLY reason I knew to register was my father had been in the Air Force and he talked about it.

I was born in 1970. Was I alone in the experience of never having it come up at any point during my life outside of my father? I wonder how many people grow up not knowing they are supposed to register.

In my country, this is always said from when you are little. And if you don't show up for mandatory military service, you can receive very heavy fines (Which are adjusted and also reapplied semi-annually), It becomes impossible to get a passport, a work permit, study, and other things. So here I think that's very unlikely to happen. You might receive a discharge, and in that case you'll be marked as someone who will only be called upon in times of war. If you are called up for service and don't go, they will send soldiers to pick you up at home and you could spend some time in detention at the barracks

Mandatory service lasts 1 to 2 years, but you don't get paid for it unless you want to continue in the field after your mandatory service ends

 

[Dejected 55]

In the US there are penalties for not registering. Also, you are expected to keep your registration current (if you move, for instance) up until a certain age. I can't remember what age that was, 30 maybe? I honestly don't remember.

One of the other odd things in the US is... In school and in national news media they talk all the time about the draft back during the major wars and up to the Vietnam war... how they were calling kids up for service... BUT what is taught and communicated here mostly is that the draft was "ended" after the Vietnam war.

This is definitively FALSE... the draft never was ended. The government has just stopped using it because a combination of lack of major wars and when things have bubbled up (like after 9/11) there have been enough registrations voluntarily that they haven't needed it... but at any time, the government could start drafting kids again. I don't know the protocol for doing so, but that's why all males have to register for the draft in this country... so that they already know where you are if they decide to call people up again.

The combination of the false education of "the draft ended" and not telling maturing boys that they need to register sets up the scenario I really think must be common, of boys being surprised that they were supposed to register at age 18.

 

[Ligottian]

I was one of the first male Americans to register for Selective Service in 1980. Nobody freaked out. There was no war. Jimmy Carter did it because of the Iran hostages. They haven't had my address (legally) since I think I was 28.

 

[OzymandiAsh]

Could work if you can hide any signs of suicidality until a live firing exercise, and then shoot your brains out before anyone can stop you, yes.

 

[sla_porra22]

Could work if you can hide any signs of suicidality until a live firing exercise, and then shoot your brains out before anyone can stop you, yes.

Here, it's also quite common to assign recruits to guard the barracks in watchtowers, for example. Two are stationed in each tower, usually at night. This would further increase my chances, I think. But I don't know what they take into consideration to decide who stays in the towers, even if there's a rotation system