If you are a young person in the Church and living in the United States, there is new information that you may need to know. The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, to be implemented by the end of this year, will ensure that young men aged 18 to 26 will automatically be registered for the draft. The registration will include all eligible male citizens, as well as noncitizens, such as those who hold Permanent Resident cards, undocumented migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees. Those traveling with nonimmigrant visas are excluded from registration.

The system will use federal databases to automatically register only young men, although there have been legislative proposals to also register young women. Registration itself does not violate biblical principles and does not imply consent to participate in war. In fact, registration can provide young Church members the opportunity to formally state their conscientious objection to military service.

The world seems to be preparing for war. The U.S. is increasing its military budget substantially and is exerting pressure on its NATO allies to do the same. Conflicts continue to rage in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and elsewhere. In Asia, the U.S. is preparing for the possibility of a major conflict with China. In Myanmar, young men in the Church have had to flee their villages to avoid being inducted into the military. Even if you are not a U.S. resident, you should be aware of your draft status in your country of residence.

For now, the U.S. has an all-volunteer military, but the possibility of an active military draft being reinstituted has caused concern among many in the Living Church of God. They include those who are eligible for the draft, as well as parents who are concerned that their sons and even their daughters could be drafted into the military.

Filing for Conscientious Objector Status

Church Administration and Legal Affairs have information available for (1) those who are draft-eligible and establishing their Conscientious Objector (CO) status, (2) those previously discharged or retired from the military and interested in establishing their CO status, and (3) adherents currently in the military (active, reserves, or National Guard) who have personally come to conscientiously object to military service and wish to be discharged. Both men and women may file for CO status.

Those applying for CO status should be aware that the application will be reviewed carefully by federal authorities before CO status is granted, so applicants need to be aware of the government’s criteria. The Selective Service Board is charged with determining a person’s genuine sincerity of belief. While not comprehensive, the following are some examples of what a federal reviewer might want to know:

• Does the applicant know the Church’s beliefs and literature?
• Does the applicant regularly attend Church services and activities?
• Does the applicant know the Bible’s answers to questions regarding war and fighting?
• Can the applicant describe how his beliefs about war developed and what influenced them?
• Does the applicant own a gun or participate in games that simulate warfare?
• Does the applicant object to all wars or just a particular one?

You may wish to research the subject personally with the help of Church resources and your pastor or to seek advice from qualified professionals. You may also want to examine the Selective Service website at SSS.gov for further information concerning what will happen if the United States government reestablishes the draft.

Those eligible for the U.S. military draft among the Living Church of God membership who wish the Church’s assistance in establishing their CO status should contact Legal Affairs at [email protected] to request the Church’s CO packet containing information on establishing CO status. Those adherents who return a completed copy of their CO form to Legal Affairs will be added to the Church’s official Registry of Conscientious Objectors—and a copy will be forwarded to the Center on Conscience and War for inclusion in its national database of Conscientious Objectors.

Many countries make provisions to allow sincere conscientious objectors to be excluded from mandatory military service or to be placed in nonmilitary roles of public service to fulfill a national service commitment. In such situations, Church adherents in many countries may be able to serve without violating God’s law. We recommend that those subject to compulsory military service investigate the relevant laws in their respective countries.

If you are seeking CO status, it is advisable to file well in advance of a compulsory service order. Conscientious objectors should prayerfully think through their beliefs now and be on record for their claim. The best documentation for CO status is living by our convictions now—so that when a draft is instituted no one can accuse us of acting from cowardice or convenience rather than from deeply held convictions.