Sept. 11 and the subsequent war on terror didn’t do much, if anything, to improve Selective Service registration in Kansas, according to a federal report released Tuesday.

The state’s compliance rate fell 5 percent in 2001 from 2000. Maine and Montana also had a 5 percent decrease; Rhode Island had the largest decrease of the 50 states at 6 percent.

Federal law requires that nearly all men living in the United States register with the Selective Service within 30 days of their 18th birthday. The registration is used in the event the United States needs to restart the draft, which was discontinued in 1973.

Despite the decrease, Kansas’ compliance rate of 86 percent was the same as the national average, which dropped 1 percent in 2001. Delaware led the nation with a 99 percent compliance rate.

“Although we would have liked to have seen more and greater gains, and certainly no reductions, we are pleased with these numbers overall,” said Alfred Rascon, Selective Service system director.

Referring to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Rascon said Selective Service registration “is probably as important now as it has been at any time in our nation’s history.

“It sends a crystal-clear signal to adversaries of the United States that we stand ready to mobilize national manpower, if needed, to defend America in a major crisis requiring reinstatement of the draft.”

State and local officials had some theories as to why the Kansas compliance numbers dropped in 2001 despite the patriotic fervor that swept the nation following the terrorist attacks.

Lt. Col. Brian DeToy, professor of military science and commander of the Army ROTC at Kansas University, said the drop-off may be because most people have had little dealings with the military since the country started an all-volunteer military in 1973.

“Some of it is that young people just don’t know,” DeToy said. Before 1973, nearly every family had a person who had been in the military, he said.

Ernest Garcia of Wichita, who is the state Selective Service director, agreed.

“I really do think it’s a matter of educating the public. There’s just not a real interest in finding out what your obligation is,” Garcia said.

The registration is required to secure federal student loans, jobs with the federal government, and  in some states  driver’s licenses.

Garcia said a proposal was brought to the Legislature this year to use driver’s license records in Kansas to trigger a notification when a license-holder turned 18 years old.

Many states are establishing this requirement. But that measure didn’t make it out of the recently completed legislative session. Garcia said he didn’t think there was much opposition to the proposal, but it simply died under the crush of other business before lawmakers.

School officials at Lawrence and Free State high schools say they make an effort to register young men.

At Free State, registrar Teresa Arevalo provides registration cards but said few students actually register at school. Linda Allen, a counselor at Lawrence High, said school librarians provide registration information and make announcements every year.

“We do try to remind kids that it needs to be done,” Allen said.

Failure to register is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

But Garcia said it’s not the potential punishment that makes people register.

“It’s not a matter of people of not wanting to register. Once they know about it, they want to register,” he said.