Were You Drafted Into Military Service?

SFC Mark Merino — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 20:27:13 -0400

I would like to gain some insight into the draft. Were you drafted? Will you share your story for those of us who never knew a draftee military? Thank you for your service!

Response by Cpl Dennis F. made Sep 14 at 2014 8:41 PM

Cpl Dennis F. — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 20:41:49 -0400

Nope, got my draft notice in RVN, no shit. I told the Top, "I have to go home, I've been drafted."... Him, "Get the fuck out of my office Fresch!"
I went in at 17 on a 120 day delay (in reserves for 4 months) I had to get signed off about three times to go to Happy Valley. Under age, sole surviving son of 100% disabled WWII vet. The things we will do for pain!

Response by SGT Richard H. made Sep 14 at 2014 9:03 PM

SGT Richard H. — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 21:03:20 -0400

I definitely wasn't drafted, nor am I old enough to have been, but I did get a notice addressed to me at my military address stating that I had not registered for selective service and could be subject to civil prosecution should I fail to do so immediately. I took the notice to my 1SG and rather enjoyed watching him call them. He was one of my inspirations in becoming the sarcastic bastard that I am today.

Response by MSG(P) Michael Warrick made Sep 14 at 2014 9:35 PM

MSG(P) Michael Warrick — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 21:35:56 -0400

No I was not drafted into the service!

Response by SPC Richard White made Oct 14 at 2014 9:19 PM

SPC Richard White — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 21:19:48 -0400

I wasn't drafted. My Dad was drafted for Vietnam

Response by SP5 Michael Rathbun made Nov 25 at 2014 6:09 PM

SP5 Michael Rathbun — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 18:09:25 -0500

At the Armed Forces Examinating And Entrance Station in Kansas City, MO where I was dropped off at 06:15 on 26 Apr 1968 I experienced many things that were new.

One of those things was sitting yet again in the assembly area/holding pen and hearing a number of names called out by an E-4 with a clipboard, all of the surnames beginning with 'N', 'O' or 'P', then later discovering that they had been selecting persons for induction into the USMC and had stopped pillaging the middle of the alphabet about two or three slots before my name in the 'R' section came up. (Most of my jarhead friends agree that I would have been a seriously sorry Marine.)

I didn't last long as a draftee -- only until May 2, when I traded in my US service number for the RA version, and could astonish my friends with a brand new technicolor honorable discharge and a note indicating the MOS they would make every effort to have me trained in (but not necessarily practice). It was beyond my imagination that I would be an E-5 eleven months later.

What currently sticks up in my consciousness is how our experiences in this episode were very different from what preceded it (WWII, with Korea stuffed awkwardly on the end) and followed it (all-volunteer).

In the draftee era, an EM's planning horizon was two years. When he was assigned to a unit, he arrived alone. When PCS happened, he left alone, generally. Unit continuity and tradition were largely unknown outside of some "front line" organizations. At ETS you had a new uniform you would wear exactly once and an airplane ticket to the home of record. (I still have both in a box somewhere.) Good luck with those folk in the airports (long before security measures kept them away from the gates) who were quite free with their opinions of you and what you might have done.

Some draftees, feeling that a significant portion of their lives had been sequestered in the National Interest for purposes they did not approve, were interested only in staying alive and out of confinement long enough to reach ETS.

"What are they going to do to me? Draft me and send me to Viet Nam?"
"Ask me if I care."

From my conversations with younger vets and active duty persons, I can see that we lived in very distinctly different worlds, both radically different in many ways from the WWII world.

Still learning about this stuff.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Dec 6 at 2014 4:41 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 16:41:02 -0500

I wasn't, I volunteered. I find the draft one of the most offensive concepts in government. It implies the right of the state, without your consent, to take possession of all three of your unalienable rights, and if it so chooses, to dispose of them without the due process a convicted criminal would receive. Just as the core message of taxation is "The state owns your property-and labor and therefore may select how much of your property to take or leave to you" the core message of the draft is simple: "The state owns YOU and your life, and may choose how to spend it without your consent."

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Dec 6 at 2014 6:07 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 18:07:26 -0500

SFC Mark Merino, I was not drafted. I enlisted on 9AUG69. Interestingly enough, in the draft lottery that occurred on 1DEC69 and was applied 1JAN70, my number (based on birthdate) was 332. Had I not enlisted, I would have never even had to serve!

Response by LTC Paul Heinlein made Dec 6 at 2014 6:14 PM

LTC Paul Heinlein — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 18:14:57 -0500

No...my buddy convinced me to signup.

We left together, but got split up once we arrived to training. I did not see my buddy the whole time. About a week before graduation, I called his mom to try and get in contact with him. She told me he was at the beach. I said "shut the front door!"

He was medically washed out after four days. 26 years later I retired from the Army. Just talked to him a few hours ago and we were laughing about it!

Response by CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025 made Dec 7 at 2014 1:12 AM

CSM Charles Hayden Passed 7/29/2025 — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 01:12:11 -0500

SFC Marino, Sorry- Hell No, my serial # was RA 194747--.

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Jan 16 at 2015 9:31 AM

SFC Collin McMillion — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 09:31:22 -0500

There is nothing quite like getting a greeting letter from the president letting you know that your friends and neighbors have selected you to get your but shot off.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Dec 4 at 2018 7:07 AM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 07:07:28 -0500

Actually, the only one in my family who acually had been had been my Mom's Dad, who'd been USMC, albeit briefly, around the time of the prep for Iwo Jima, I think, I'd gotten his stuff from NPRC, apparently he hadn't adjusted well to Paris Island, and had been sent home, he never spoke of it, though my Mom had mentioned it once or twicez which was why I'd known of it, and was able to search for it, with help from one of the USMC vet groups, none of the rest of my family had actually been drafted, per se, so far as I know, at least....

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2018 3:23 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 15:23:09 -0500

I volunteered...

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Dec 4 at 2018 11:08 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Tue, 04 Dec 2018 23:08:56 -0500

Sorry can’t help enlisted back in 1965 probably saved my young butt because they were selecting every 7th guy in a formation at the old USArmy base in South Boston for the Marines if you were US (drafted) the bus was leaving for Parris Island,Thank you Jesus I enlisted!