Nevadans avoiding Uncle Sam

One-third of all 18-year-old men in the United States haven't registered for the draft. Of all 18- to 25-year-olds, 10 percent have not let Uncle Sam know their whereabouts.

Only five years ago, 95 percent of eligible men had registered.

That means, according to government estimates, the number of young men who failed to register has doubled from about 700,000 in 1994 to 1.4 million this year.

Those are numbers that the Selective Service is out to change.

"The percentage of eligible 18-year-olds registering is not what the Selective Service would like," said Alex Talmant, administrative technician with the Nevada branch of Selective Service. "We are not getting full compliance."

It's no better in Nevada than anywhere else, statistics show. In fact, Nevada ranks in the lower third of states in compliance.

There are penalties for not registering. Those who fail to do so by age 26 could be charged with a felony, and they forfeit benefits such as federal student aid, job training and federal employment. State benefits can also be lost.

But the Selective Service prefers the kinder, gentler approach in trying to get young men to register.

"When we speak of penalties, none are ever followed through," Talmant said, "because the goal of the Selective Service is not prosecution -- the goal is registration."

Since mandatory registration for the draft was resumed in 1980, more than 38 million men have signed up for the service. Only 20 have been prosecuted.

Instead, the service tries focuses its attention on informing 18-year-olds of their obligation through high schools and letters sent to their homes reminding them "it's the law."

It's not always effective. Eighteen-year-old Eric, who did not give his last name, got such got a letter, hasn't registered for the draft, and said he doesn't plan to. He doesn't think he'll be prosecuted, and he said he doesn't plan to ever have a federal job.

"I am against the draft, I am against war," said Eric, who graduated from Basic High School last May, as he sat on a bench at the Meadows mall. "I never really heard about it until they sent me a form in the mail. Since then, I haven't really thought about it."

To make compliance easier, the Selective Service in January began an online registration site, sss.gov. The online program compares the information entered against the government's database. After a match is made, the person is given a registration number and mailed an acknowledgement card within weeks.

"It is more accessible because most high school students have access to the Internet or their parents have computers at home," Talmant said. "It's simply another method where you can register."

-- Associated Press contributed to this story.

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