Oklahoma Selective Service enrollment going down

(Tulsa-AP) -- As many as 13 percent of young men in Oklahoma have failed to register with the Selective Service. <br><br>That's according to a report released yesterday. And they could miss out on

Thursday, May 18th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Tulsa-AP) -- As many as 13 percent of young men in Oklahoma have failed to register with the Selective Service.

That's according to a report released yesterday. And they could miss out on future benefits ranging from college loans to government jobs.

Nationally, rates have been falling from 96 percent dating back to the pre-1990s to 88 percent today.

Oklahoma was graded a "B" in the report.

Officials blame the trend on ignorance rather than a resistance to registering.

Spokesman Gil Coronado says it's tragic to see young men potentially missing out on future opportunities. And he says the men most likely to miss the message are those from poor and underrepresented populations -- the men who stand the most to gain from the opportunities.