CO Lesson 6

Special Sessions for 18-Year-Olds Who Wish to Declare CO Status

(Optional, Depending upon Interest)

Note: By now, most of the young people are probably saturated with information on and about COs, with one exception—those young men (and those young women who so choose) who are approaching their 18th birthday. An additional, private session might be set aside to talk just with them. They may need individual guidance on how to register for Selective Service and, if they decide to declare themselves as COs, how to do this. This lesson is designed to give them that support, provide an opportunity for them to discuss their views and give them specific steps to gain the meeting’s support during this process. A Clearness Committee might be set up to carry out this function. Use the handouts distributed earlier in lessons, especially from Lesson 3, Section IV, A. This lesson usually takes about 1 1/2 hours. As an optional format, consider having it over a dinner (pizza and plenty of soda) as an optional format.

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Welcome.
• Explain purpose of this special session:
  1. Hear their thoughts and concerns.
  2. Help each individual with his or her decision making and guide him or her through the registration process, interaction with the meeting, and future steps.
• Provide dinner as an optional format.

Opening Exercise: A Mock Lottery and Induction Notice (10 minutes)

• Hand out 3 by 5 lottery cards.
  1. Prior to the session, make up several cards each with a random number between 1 and 120. (The lottery goes through 366, but for this exercise, “safe” numbers were omitted.)
  2. Point out that a draft could use a lottery assignment system where each birth date corresponded to a random number. About a third (numbers 1 through 120) would probably be called for induction.
• Ask who received a number between 1 and 120 (everyone).
  1. Give them an induction notice (handout: Western Union Mailgram).
  2. Have each person read one of the following paragraphs from the notice that begins with these phrases:
     a. “This is your order to report __________”
     b. “If you are found qualified for military service __________”
     c. “If you believe you qualify for reclassification __________”
     d. “Read the important information provided with this order. If you fail to obey this order __________”
     e. Last sentence from paragraph “What to Bring,” which is “Do not bring family, friends, pets, weapons/knives, nonprescription drugs, large sums of money or expensive jewelry.”
     f. “You may file a claim for postponement or reclassification __________” (to end of paragraph).
  3. Ask for reactions, impressions and comments.
  4. Explain that a person could have as few as nine days to request/file for reclassification.

Discussion (15 minutes)

• Individual thoughts, concerns, goals, expectations, apprehensions, etc.
  1. What is your position on Selective Service, the draft, and conscientious objection? (This is not the time for general comments about war or debate on politics but rather ones personal participation in war.)
  2. What reservations do you have?
• What do you want to get out of this session?
• Sample statement of the facilitators/adults position. “We want to help you through the Selective Service registration process, to encourage you to give thought about your classification (especially as a CO) and if you have any leaning toward being a CO, to help you through that process. We do not want you to register for CO unless you have some inclination to do so. Indicating status as CO at registration time does not mean you cannot change your mind at a later date. However, by not so indicating at this time, it may make a future claim as CO more difficult.”

What Is Selective Service and Conscientious Objection (45 minutes)

Give each person a manila folder to keep handouts and future documentation.

• If not done in prior sessions, review and discuss the following handouts:
  1. Overview of Selective Service and Conscientious Objection.
  2. U.S. Supreme Court Rulings, Congressional Legislation and Law.
• Pass out Worksheet Form 22: Claim for Conscientious Objector.
  1. Take 5 to 10 minutes to answer Parts I and II.
  2. Share and discuss responses; write additional comments if needed.
  3. Pass out Suggestions on How to Build Documentation. Look particularly at the section on how to fill out the Worksheet Form 22.
  4. Give the handout Sample Questions a Draft Review Board Might Ask with the comment that some of the questions are neither legal nor appropriate. They are designed to raise issues a draft board might address.

Action Steps (10 minutes)

• Pass out these handouts:
  1. A Procedure for 18-Year-Olds Who Want to Indicate CO Status at the Time of Registration for Selective Service.
  2. Letter to Some City Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
  3. Letter to Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors and Center on Conscience & War (formerly called NISBCO).
  4. Contacts and Resources.
  5. Letters of Support.
• Explain each, especially A Procedure for 18-Year-Olds Who Want to Indicate CO Status at the Time of Registration for Selective Service.

Wrap-up, Homework and Closing (5 minutes)

• Ask each person:
  1. What was most helpful to you during this lesson?
  2. What else do you need or want?
• Homework:
  1. Have each person bring his or her Worksheet Form 22: Claim for Conscientious Objector to revise, add, or refine.
  2. Send it using the “trifold” method (i.e., photocopy the form, fold it in thirds, staple shut, address the outside to his or her home address, stamp, and mail it).
  3. When received back, add it unopened to his or her CO folder. This will give a federally postmarked document verifying the date and contents of the applicant’s first thoughts about answering this form’s questions. This can be done repeatedly to show a progression of thought.
• Closing worship.