Winds Of Change

The upcoming Presidential election promises to be an interesting spectacle on many levels. Either candidate could usher in sweeping changes in foreign and domestic policy. While there is much uncertainty about the nature of these changes, one thing is certain — there will be a change in administration and, depending on which candidate assumes office, there could be a complete replacement of the senior leadership at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Why does this matter? While OPM has been unfailingly fair in its adjudication of Selective Service cases during the Obama administration, such was not the case during the Bush administration, when OPM routinely issued adverse determinations in Selective Service failure to register cases — even in cases involving veterans who had served honorably in the military but who had failed to register.

The takeaway is simple. If you have a Selective Service issue, you would be well advised to prepare your case for submission to OPM now. In my view, a Trump victory may well resurrect the Bush-era mindset at OPM, which does not bode well for people who have failed to register with the Selective Service System.