Selective Service Toolkit

Social workers have a unique opportunity to inform young men and their support networks about the important steps they must take to ensure they can access every potential opportunity. Yet the Selective Service has met with scores of professionals who were not aware of the consequences for young men if they did not register. So NASW national staff worked with Selective Service, in consultation with NASW members in different fields of social work, to develop this toolkit, which contains tools for both client/external outreach and peer-to-peer outreach.

Registration with the Selective Service is required for virtually all men between the ages of 18 and 25 who live in the United States, regardless of immigration status. Men who fail to register can be permanently barred from opportunities, including:

• Student loans;
• Participation in job training programs;
• Employment with the federal government, many state and municipal government agencies, and even private-sector employers.

In addition, failure to register with the Selective Service can also significantly complicate the process for immigrant men who wish to become citizens.