The World War I Draft is a census and birth register for virtually every man born between 1870 and 1900 in the United States. The draft registration cards have been scanned and indexed and are available at Ancestry. There seems to be a variety of cards with a different set of questions on them. The following examples are from Red Willow County and Furnas County, Nebraska. The first card has a different set of questions compared to the last card. All of the cards ask the same basic questions: a persons name, the date you were born, where you live. We will look at each example and go over the information we can extract from the card. A lot of information can be obtained about a person from this little form. The first card has 12 categories with some categories having sub-categories for a total of 18 items of information. The second page has three categories with a number of sub-categories. A total of seven items are itemized and appear to be filled in and attested to by the Draft Board Registrar. The last three categories give a physical description of the person, as well as the date filed. With this information you can give a narrative on your ancestors appearance when he registered for the draft on a given day.

REGISTRATION CARD

1. Name in Full, Age in yrs.
   Carl Armstrong, 27
2. Home Address, (No.), (Street), (City), (State)
   506 West 1st McCook Nebr
3. Date of Birth, (Month), (Day), (Year)
   Oct 6 1889
4. Are You
   1. A Natural Born Citizen
   2. A Naturalized Citizen
   3. An Alien
   4. Or have you declared your intention, (specify which).
   
   
5. Where were you born? (Town), (State), (Nation)
   Knoxville Illinois USA
6. If not a citizen, of what country are you a citizen or subject?
   
7. What is your present trade, occupation, or office?
   Machinist 23
8. Employment
   1. By whom employed?
      C. B. Q. Railroad
   2. Where employed?
      McCook Nebr
   
   
9. Have you a father, mother, wife, child under 12, or a sister or brother under 12, solely dependent on you for support (specify which)?
   Wife
10. 1. Married or single (which)?
       Married
    2. Race (specify which)?
       Caucasian
    
    
11. What military service have you had?
    1. Rank
       None
    2. Branch
       
    3. Years
       
    4. Nation or State
       
    
    
12. Do you claim exemption from draft (specify grounds)?
    Defective Eye

I affirm that I have verified above answers and that they are true.

Signature or mark.

If person is of African descent, tear off this corner.

REGISTRARS REPORT

1. 1. Tall, medium, or short? (Specify which)
      Medium
   2. Slender, Medium, or Stout (which).
      Slender
2. 1. Color of eyes?
      Blue
   2. Color of hair?
      Brown
   3. Bald?
      No
3. Has person lost arm, leg, hand. foot, or both eyes, or is he otherwise disabled (specify)?
   No _ _ _ One eye defective.

I certify that my answers are true, that the person registered has read his own answers, that I have witnessed his signature, and that all of his answers of which I have knowledge are true, except as follows:_ _ _ _

John E Kelley
Signature of Registrar

Precinct WG
City or County McCook
State Nebraska	Date of registration Jun 5 1917