This resource is part of FGC’s Conscientious Objection resources. It is part of a curriculum made for Quaker and Quaker-adjacent students who are opposed to war. If you’re thinking about applying as a Conscientious Objector before the age of 18, be sure to read up on the steps below.

Document your work, activism, and beliefs in a Conscientious Objector folder

Create a digital or physical space where you gather all materials. Update your documents with materials that are dated and signed. This can help to show a progression of your nonviolent beliefs over time.

If applicable, include the names of others who can verify your information.

Keep a journal

Write down entries about your beliefs, the influences that affect you, or how your values run against participation in war. If your journal is on a computer, consider leaving old pages untouched so that they reflect the date of the publication and show that thoughts came to you over time.

Write a letter to your Meeting

If you intend to register for the Selective Service System as a Conscientious Objector, then write a letter to your Quaker Meeting. Store a copy of this letter with other legal documents. For ideas to get started, check out our Sample Letter to a Meeting. The letter should state:

• that you are conscientiously opposed to participation in war of any form
• that your opposition is based on moral, ethical, and/or religious beliefs, and
• that these beliefs are deeply held.

If you don’t hear back, follow up with your meeting to request a clearness committee or another type of discernment.

Participate in peace organizations, demonstrations, and rallies

For instance, take a workshop with Alternatives to Violence Project. Attend college courses on nonviolence, conflict transformation, or democracy. Maybe you attend the Spring Lobby Weekend with Friends Committee on National Legislation. If you attend a retreat or lecture about peace-building, be sure to document it. Document attendance at Quaker meeting or other religious services. Ask your First Day School teacher to write a document certifying your attendance in the program that year.

Share your convictions against war to others, either formally or informally

Create a presentation and record it. Or, host a private discussion to practice talking about the values that are important to you. Describe how do you handle conflict, including specific incidents or actual situations.

Gather letters of reference from people who can speak to your convictions

Gather a wide range of letters. Reach out to people in your community who may disagree with you but respect your beliefs. Be sure to save copies of these letters in your digital or physical archive.

Prepare for how you will answer the three questions on a Conscientious Objector application.

In the past, the U.S. Government has asked Conscientious Objects to

• describe their beliefs
• say how and when they acquired those beliefs
• illustrate why those beliefs are important to them

Here are tips from the Church of the Brethren and the Center on Conscience and War.

1. Describe your beliefs which are the reasons for you claiming conscientious objection to combatant military training and service or to all military training and service.
   • This question asks you to describe, in some detail and as honestly possible, the basic principles by which you guide your life. You should describe those values which are of utmost importance to you, such as God, love, truth, etc., and why these beliefs are in conflict with participation in the armed services. This question asks you to formulate your own statement to conscientious opposition to war. You should begin by saying that you are conscientiously opposed to war, and then describe the beliefs that lead you to such opposition.
     
   • The second part of the question seeks to determine whether you claim noncombatant status in the military or a full exemption from military service. You should specify what it is about noncombatant service that would violate your conscience, if this is the exemption you seek.
2. Describe how and when you acquired these beliefs. Your answer may include such information as the influence of family members or other persons; training, if applicable; your personal experiences; membership in organizations; books and readings which influenced you.
   • In answering this question, you should include anything of significance that helped to form your beliefs. Mention any formal religious training you have had, if you feel such training has helped you arrive at your position. If you feel your beliefs were arrived at with no formal training, no need to mention it. Describe the way you were raised, especially if in a nonviolent household that resolved conflict in peaceful ways. The influences of parents and other family members, clergy, teachers, books, television, movies, and membership in organizations are essential to list. Be specific. You need to show that strong influences in your life have stimulated you to think clearly and seriously about participation in war.
     
   • You can mention specific experiences, such as demonstrations, seminars, or assemblies that you have attended. If you’ve spent time with people who are war refugees or veterans, describe that experience. Show that your beliefs are not just academic. In addition, if you have experienced war, be sure to reflect on your direct experience.
     
   • Focus on long-term beliefs, not on current politics. Show how your convictions are consistent through different presidencies or political circumstances.
     
3. Explain what most clearly shows that your beliefs are deeply held. You may wish to include a description of how your beliefs affect the way you live.
   • This question allows you to demonstrate the sincerity with which you hold your beliefs. Select the best examples that illustrate your convictions.
     
   • Think about community service. That could include religious groups, clubs, sports, or relationships with friends. You can always discuss how your future plans are strongly affected by a commitment to those beliefs. Describe your life goals or preferred jobs and how they relate to your beliefs. Discuss any public presentations you have given, or any essays you have written, that relate to your beliefs. Describe your lifestyle as an outgrowth of your beliefs.

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Last updated December 18, 2025.