selective service and new york city

[guru devas]

I was 26 yrs and 2 mnths old when I got my green card and had not registered for selective service. During my interview, I was told that even if you were 26 yrs and 364 days old, you were still !! 26 yrs of age (because you were not yet 27) and had to register. I am a mathematician and as far as i know, 26.2 is not "between the ages of 18 and 26 yrs" as is stated in the requirements. The language needs to be clearer.

 

[guru devas]

I thought so too....

I had no doubts before my interview about the need to register. In my interview i was berated for not understanding the meaning of 26 yrs old. I was made to write a note explaining why i did not register. In the note i wrote that i was 26 yrs 2 mnths old when i got my green card and i "mistakenly" thought i did not have to register. The officer accepted that and "passed" me.

I really do not understand why this happened. It is a simple enough cutoff but it seems it has been interpreted differently by immigration officers on more than one occasion.