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Should a global crisis escalate to the point of World War III, the mechanism for reinstatement is structured and rapid. The process would begin in the halls of Congress, where lawmakers would need to amend the Military Selective Service Act to grant the president the authority to begin conscription. Once that legal threshold is crossed, the Selective Service System (SSS) moves from a data-collection agency to an operational one. The centerpiece of this activation is the national lottery.
Once a young man’s lottery number is called, the transition from civilian to potential soldier is swift. He is ordered to report to a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS). Here, the individual undergoes a battery of physical, mental, and moral evaluations to determine fitness for duty. In times of peace or limited conflict, the military maintains strict standards regarding health, education, and criminal history. However, military experts and former combat personnel warn that these standards are flexible. During a national emergency or a large-scale global war, the military’s “manpower needs” often take precedence over traditional disqualifiers.
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