The Regions

Key to successful operation of the Selective Service System, especially during a national emergency, is grass roots understanding, involvement, and support. The link between the policymakers at National Headquarters and the scores of State Directors, hundreds of RFOs, and thousands of volunteer board members are the three Region Headquarters.

FY 1996 was a "moving" experience for each of the Region Headquarters. Region I moved from Building 1 on the Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois, to facilities in Building 3400. Region II moved to alternate space within its building at 805 Walker Street, Marietta, Georgia. Region III moved from the former Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center to offices in Building 407 on what previously was Lowry Air Force Base, Denver, Colorado.

A prime task for the Regions during FY 1996 was identifying for appointment hundreds of civilian volunteers to fill vacancies on the various SSS boards. There are 2,060 five-person Local Boards, 96 District Appeal Boards, and 48 Civilian Review Boards for which the Region Headquarters are responsible. Special emphasis was placed on insuring the makeup of boards proportionately reflected, to the maximum degree practicable, the ethnic and racial composition of the registrants they would serve in a draft.

Other activities common among the three Regions included conducting the Area Office Workload Study. Done once every five years, the study of Area Offices and Local Boards was initiated as scheduled in FY 1996. It evaluates the boundaries marking the geographic jurisdictions of separate Area Offices and Local Boards from registrant population data. Additionally, it makes recommendations for restructuring geographic lines of responsibility based on real or projected population changes.

The Region Directors meet with SSS Director Gil Coronado. From l. to r., Region II Director, Lt. Col. Keith Scragg; Region I Director, Col. Ron Meilstrup; Region III Director, Col. Wayne McDonald; and Director Coronado.

Region I

Region I is comprised of 16 states extending from the Midwest through the northeast, including Washington, D.C., and New York City (which is considered a separate entity from the rest of the state for SSS administration). Major population centers within Region I include Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Washington.

The Region hosted two separate briefings for Adjutants General of the states in its jurisdiction. The briefings provided Adjutants General with updates about Agency plans and initiatives and included a tour of the Data Management Center.

There were three "Make Things Work" training sessions at the Region's offices in January and February, 1996, providing State Directors and 33 Detachment Commanders with a forum for sharing ideas and experiences. State Directors unable to attend these sessions were trained at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, in May 1996.

Board member recruiting drives were conducted in Pennsylvania and New York. Using ideas that were successful in other states, these drives were also successful in attracting highly qualified volunteers for consideration by State governors.

The Wisconsin National Guard Detachment updated and revised what was formerly a "view graph presentation" and produced an easily transportable 35mm slide production. National Headquarters approved it for nationwide use as a part of the Initial Board Member Training program.

An experimental Local Board Member Continuation Training initiative was conducted at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. The Region conducted Local Board Member Continuation Training for approximately 50 percent of its assigned volunteers.

Two new State Directors joined the Agency in Region I during FY 1996, representing Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. The Region added 76 replacement board members. Sixty of them attended Initial Board Member Training sessions held in various locations throughout the Region.

To help explain Selective Service registration procedures to Hispanics, and to encourage them to volunteer for board member appointments, RFOs attended Spanish Catholic Center Citizenship Workshops in Maryland in October and December 1995. RFOs also attended citizenship workshops conducted by the Latino Civil Rights Task Force in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. In addition, RFOs attended an Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Protection's "Citizenship Festival" in Chicago in November 1995.

In September the Region held its annual State Directors/Detachment Commanders Conference in Chicago.

Region II

Region II is comprised of the 13 southeastern states stretching from Texas to Florida to West Virginia, and the territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Region is authorized 15 State Directors, 36 Reserve and National Guard detachments, 163 RFOs, 3,480 board members, and 481 Area Office Augmentees.

At the close of FY 1996, the Region's 13 states and two territories had over 96 percent of all Local Board Member positions filled. Of the 3,143 assigned board members, more than 96 percent have completed Initial Board Member Training. Throughout the year 11 Initial Board Member Training sessions were conducted and 165 new board member appointments were made.

Almost one-half of the assigned Local Board Members were offered Continuation Training and 80 percent of them, or over 750 members, were able to take advantage of the training.

Of the 152 RFOs assigned to Region II's detachments, nearly 82 percent have completed all Training Guidance Outline lesson modules. In addition, 114 RFOs were tested and passed the Area Office Manager Certification examination. Eleven new RFOs were trained at a New Officer State Director Training and Professional Development Course session.

Individual training conferences were held at each state and territory throughout the year. A State Directors and Detachment Commanders planning conference was held in September 1996. The Director and other National Headquarters staff members were present to provide information and guidance.

Through the Region's registration improvement initiatives, public service announcements for registration awareness were displayed on the electronic displays of the Goodyear Blimp as it circled over the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. Registration awareness messages also appeared on the electronic sign boards at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium during Atlanta Braves seasonal games, and the National and World Series championships. Governors from Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, and South Carolina signed proclamations in commemoration and support of the 56th anniversary of the SSS. Mayors, city councils and county governments also issued proclamations in favor and support of Selective Service.

Region III

Region III is responsible for more than half of the geographic area of the United States, ranging from the states of Minnesota to Missouri, bordering the Mississippi River on the east, to Guam and the Mariana Islands on the west, and from Alaska in the north to New Mexico on the Region's southeastern boundary. There are a total of 23 states and territories. To administer this Region, there are 40 Reserve and National Guard detachments, 181 RFOs, 23 State Directors and 3,330 board members in addition to the small full-time staff. There are 23 State Headquarters, 158 Area Offices and over 660 Local Boards as administrative units.

Board member staffing was maintained at 98 percent. Fourteen Initial Board Member Training sessions were held for 172 new members. Recruiting for board members continued with an emphasis on obtaining board compositions that proportionately reflected the race and national origin of the registrants in the serviced area. In California, minority board membership has increased by 20 percent.

Timely recruiting efforts by detachment commanders resulted in 33 new officers attending New Officer Training in July 1996. In addition, nine officers attended from Region I. Nearly 90 percent of eligible Local Board Members met the continuation training requirements for the year.

Comprehensive mobilization site visits were conducted by RFOs at all 158 Area Office locations and the 23 State Headquarters. The visits ensured the accuracy, currency and reliability of the Region's readiness plans.

Through Region initiatives, exhibits were displayed at a number of conferences and conventions. California personnel attended the California Association of Bilingual Educators Conference in February 1996. In July, staff members and RFOs from Colorado participated in the LaRaza National Conference at Denver. In August, the California State Director and RFOs hosted an information booth at the California State Fair in Sacramento. Region III representatives also attended the September 1996 session of the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Annual Convention and International EXPO in Denver. At each event, team members staffed an exhibit and provided information and answered questions about registration, explained the role of the Agency in national defense, and discussed opportunities for citizens to serve as board members.

Region III conducted a planning conference for State Directors and Detachment Commanders in August 1996. The Executive Director, Director for Operations, and Director for Public and Congressional Affairs attended from National Headquarters and provided information and guidance to the attendees.