Military Selective Service Act


The Selective Service Act of 1948, also known as the Elston Act, was a major revision of the Articles of War of the United States enacted June 24, 1948 that established the current implementation of the Selective Service System. On February 22, 2019, U.S. District Court in Southern Texas Judge Gray Miller ruled in National Coalition for Men v. Selective Service System that exempting females from the male-only draft was unconstitutional.

History

The previous iteration of the Selective Service System was established by the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940. After two extensions, the Selective Training and Service Act was allowed to expire on March 31, 1947. In 1948, it was replaced by a new and distinct Selective Service System established by this Act. The Selective Service Act of 1948 was originally intended to remain in effect for two years, but was extended multiple times, usually immediately before its two-year period of effectiveness was due to expire.
The act has had amendments, extensions, and changes of name since 1948, including: