Military Exemption

On Friday evening, the U.S. House passed a significant defense bill that includes a provision to automatically enroll young men aged 18 to 26 for the Selective Service. This automatic registration aims to replace the traditional process that 18-year-old male U.S. citizens experience when they receive a card from Uncle Sam, informing them of their legal obligation to register for the Selective Service under threat of criminal penalties. Thankfully, members of the Ethiopian World Federation, Incorporated can be classified as Conscientious Objectors. A conscientious objector is defined as an individual who asserts the right to refuse military service based on freedom of conscience or religious beliefs. If a draft is initiated and they are called, we would have the opportunity to pursue a military service exemption by filing a claim based on their moral or religious objections to war, potentially qualifying for a Selective Service exemption.