Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft (COMD)

: Edward Hasbrouck; Articles Archive; 25 July 2026; Hits: 1006

Ways to Resist “Automatic” Draft Registration

From Draft NOtices, July‐September 2026

— Edward Hasbrouck

In December 2026, the Selective Service System (SSS) will start trying to register male U.S. citizens and residents between their 18th and 26th birthdays “automatically” for a possible future military draft.

"Automatic” draft registration is a response by the SSS to the success of quiet but widespread noncompliance that made the registration law unenforceable. Less than 40% of the men who turned 18 in 2023 registered by the end of that year. Having failed to get young people to register themselves, the SSS got Congress to give the agency a second chance to try to use other existing federal databases to compile a list of potential draftees’ names, birthdays, and addresses.

Countering “The College Is Not Worth It” Narrative

From Draft NOtices, July‐September 2026

— Isidro Ortiz

Counter-recruitment initiatives, such as those by Project YANO, have long emphasized identifying and educating youth about non-military pathways and career options in peace making and social change. Almost invariably, the realization of these options entails investing in a college education. Many U.S. Americans have made that investment, motivated by the narrative that “college is worth it.” However, in this century, as public trust in higher education has diminished, a competing narrative -- “college is not worth it” -- has gained traction.

¡Migra No! ¡Guerra No! Reflections from Enero Zapatista 2026

From Draft NOtices, April‐June 2026

— Lauren Reyna Morales and Oren Robinson

This past January, the Project on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities (Project YANO) continued their years-long tradition of participating in Enero Zapatista in San Diego, California.