Final answer:
The Selective Service Act mandated that American men register for potential conscription into the armed forces, with the age requirements and conditions changing over time. Currently, all male citizens between 18 and 25 must register with the Selective Service System, and there is ongoing debate about including females.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Selective Service Act required American citizens to participate in a system of mandatory registration for potential conscription into the armed forces. Initially, the act passed in 1917 during World War I required all men aged twenty-one through thirty to register, which was later expanded in 1918 to include men between eighteen and forty-five. Throughout various iterations and wars, the age range and criteria under the Selective Service System have evolved. For instance, during World War II, the age range was twenty-one to thirty-five, with classifications based on physical fitness, marital status, and essential employment. In the modern era, all male citizens between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five are required to register with the Selective Service System.
Local draft boards were responsible for the draft process, including issuing draft notices and handling deferments. The system aimed to create a fair and equitable method for conscription, establishing quotas by districts. In cases of wars or military conflicts, such as Vietnam, these draft boards operated under the Selective Service System to call men into service as needed.
Even though the United States currently does not require mandatory military service, registration with the Selective Service System is legally required for males when they turn 18. This registration is a contingency for a potential draft, should one be necessary, and in recent years, there has been discussion about extending this requirement to females as well.