What were your feelings and thoughts when you first opened your draft notice?

I had a high draft number, but volunteered for the Marine Corps in 1970. I knew several people that weren't doing well in college with low numbers. Their butts were puckering.

I had enlisted before mine came in the mail,over my older brother's objections that I join the AirForce,joining the Army had been my way to get some direction in life,boy did I get directions! As far as my stance on the war,I was a nineteen year old kid I had no stance they told me to go,I went,my parents were old school ,the Country calls you answer ,those depression people were hard core.

Great question Col. Burroughs. I never received one as I joined the Marines on the delayed entry program before I graduated from high school. I was barely 17 at the time and never registered for the draft.

Was not drafted. During my two tours in VN, we only had two draftees.

I knew when I as going to be drafted, so I was prepared. My draft board lady, (Henrietta A. Rolfing) local board # 59, and I talked on the phone a few times. I was able to take care of my personal business before I got my notice for induction on Dec. 2, 1965. In fact, I had a knee injury from a car hitting me a year earlier, and I was worried I would be turned down. When I told the Doc about it, he said "do a deep knee bend" I did and he stamped my papers accepted. We had to line up and the Sargent in charge went down the row saying you're in the Army, or Marines, I was in next after a Marine. I didn't care what I went in. I wanted to serve. I wanted to get out of my house and family. I had a new family and I was happy. Here I was big man on campus. Lol

My lottery number was 7. I was in my senior year in college in 1969 when the lottery was drawn. In April of 1970 I received a notice to report for a pre-induction physical, whatever that was, at Ft. Holibird, Md. When I graduated in June, within 30 days I got my 1A classification. I went to the draft board and found I was slated to be drafted the next month. At the time I supported the war but had serious reservations as to whether the politicians in Washington still had a will to win. My Mom found an advertisement in the paper in which the Army was recruiting college graduates to enlist for guaranteed assignment to a Pershing Missile unit. I took my ad down to the Army recruiter and off I went to the Army as a rocket scientist. My only attempt to get out of the Army came in basic training when the psychiatrist asked me if I wanted to ride my rocket to the moon. I told him if it got me out of the Army he could count me in. He cited something about a Catch 22, laughed and I went on my way to completing my three years.

I remember when my younger brother had to register. All I could think about was how I could take his place if he was called up. Silly I know.

I received my notice in 1961. I had forgotten all about it, and was shocked. I had just graduated from broadcasting school, and a position was awaiting me at a local radio station. The funny thing is, that our training consisted of learning the correct pronunciation of Laos, Hanoi, and Saigon. No idea as to why. A few years later I realized why. My dad had always told me that, should I get drafted, I should serve with honor. After AIT, I did re-enlist. While stationed in Germany, some of my brothers were deployed to Vietnam. I volunteered, but was turned down. As for the war itself, I do have mixed feelings. At times, I feel, it was senseless, as we actually were not encouraged to win. Too many brothers and sisters lost. I lost quite a few close friends. That's my take on this.

Ha, that's funny. I had already been commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force when I got drafted. Came as quite a shock. Due to the wait time for flight school, I was commissioned in May but wasn't scheduled to come on active duty until November. Guess my local draft board got the information that I was no longer in college and thus no longer deferred so considered me fair game. Took almost a full day to convince the draft board that I was in fact already a commissioned officer since the commissioning paperwork hadn't caught up with me when I was "drafted".

Like many others responding to this question I received mine while I was on active duty. I was in Korea at the time. It was not an uncommon occurrence.