As U.S. military activity increases around the world, Mennonite Central Committee invites teenagers and young adults to examine their beliefs about participation in war and record their convictions on a Christian Peacemaker Registration Form.

The form, available at mcc.org/peace-form, is one way young men and women can build evidence of their peace witness. If the government were to reinstitute a draft for military service, the form could be used to support a person’s application to be a conscientious objector.

A recent change in federal law calls for the U.S. Selective Service System to automatically register men ages 18-25 using government data such as Social Security numbers. This system will replace a requirement for men to register themselves when they turn 18, which less than 40% did. The law will go into effect in December.

“This change makes it more difficult to formally declare yourself a conscientious objector ahead of a draft because you can’t refuse to register or note anything on your registration as you could before,” said Galen Fitzkee, legislative associate for MCC U.S. National Peace & Justice Ministries. “It makes it much more important that COs record their opposition to military service somewhere.”

MCC Peace Education coordinator Nathan Toews believes there’s value in young people completing the form as a way to examine their beliefs, even without a draft.

“Discerning your conscientious objector status is part of a larger understanding of having a peace witness in an increasingly militaristic nation,” Toews said. “Even though young people may have grown up in a church that has always talked about nonviolence and peace, it’s important that they discern their beliefs for themselves.”

Anabaptist church leaders representing a broad swath of beliefs and practices have contacted MCC in the last year asking for CO resources and support for maintaining an alternative service option.

Young people who want to complete the Christian Peacemaker Registration Form can download it as a PDF or fill it out online. It includes resources to further explore conscientious objection.

Toews recommends keeping a copy and filing the form with congregational and denominational offices. If the form is submitted to MCC, Toews will keep it on file until the person requests it. Some denominations have their own form.

MCC welcomes questions and requests for training on nonresistance and peacebuilding at npjm@mcc.org. Other MCC peacebuilding resources are at npjm.mcc.org.