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

The draft age was 19 when I was drafted in October 1966. My notice was post marked 2 days before my 19th birthday and I was sworn in 3 weeks later. My dad was a WWII veteran and former POW. He made it clear that it was my duty to serve our country. I did serve to the best of my ability. Made Sgt E5 with 13 months of service and came home in one piece.

I knew it was coming, so I took every precaution. I applied for the Peace Corps and a job at the National Institutes of Health that was draft deferring. As time got closer to getting the dreaded letter, I went down to the Air Force recruiter, and signed me up with the brand new 90-day delayed entry program.

I figured I was all set by buying an extra 90 days at home, but two weeks later, I got my draft letter, and I only had two weeks to report to the induction center.
Immediately calling my local draft board, I told them about my delayed enlistment. They just laughed and said they never heard of such a thing.

With this response, I use all my remaining time saying farewell to friends and relatives, and prepared to report to Fort Hollowbird, Maryland for induction.
My recruiter was unable to change my draft board's decision after trying several times.

So on March 8, 1966, I reported to the induction center, passed my physical
and was duly sworn in to the U.S. Army that morning. Just after lunch an Army Captain came for me, and he told me the director of the Maryland State Selective Service had called and said "Mr. Winkles can go in the U.S. Air Force
whenever he is ready".

I was told to contact my Air Force recruiter. My local draft board had called him all excited because the State Director had called them as well with the same order. My neighbor was a friend of the director and told him of my plight completely without my knowledge.

Well with my good byes said and my bags packed, I told my Air Force recruiter
to put me on the first thing smoking to San Antonio, Texas for basic. My original AFSC was supposed to be in intelligence, but it was changed to aircraft maintenance to match up with available class dates. I left Baltimore that evening on a 727.

Three days later my parents received my welcome letter to the Peace Corps and
a letter from the NIH telling me to report to work. While I avoided the draft,
I ended up spending a year in Vietnam working with Army Special Forces
as a helicopter crew chief and aerial gunner in the Air Force's only assault helicopter unit, the 20th Special Operations Squadron. I got to support covert operations in Cambodia, Laos and North and South Vietnam, so I finally got my chance to work in intelligence.

Ronald C. Winkles
SGT, U.S. Air Force (Vet)

I got mine in Dec.20th 1965 just 38 days after my 18th birthday. I was to be at the train station Jan 24, 1966, 6 am. in Warren, Ohio. Had no Idea where I was going or if I was going to be in the Army or Marines. They just walked down a line and went pointed a finger at someone and said your Army, your Marines till everyone was picked. I didn't want to go to Vietnam and maybe die, so I went to the Army Recruiter to see if there was anything he could do for me. I took a bunch of tests for about six hours, then he said that that I scored in the top 3% on the test and there was several opening for me. 1st was Officer Candidacy School, but most 2LT. went to Vietnam. Now the 2nd. was a new group called the Army Security Agency who had units all over the world but none in Vietnam. They only took people who scored in the top 3% and was an Army MI.Unit but run by the NSA. He asked if anyone in my family was ever in jail or an Illegal alien, I said no. The reason was I would have to have a Top Secret Clearance. They would check me out and would let me know while I'm in Basic or at Schooling for my MOS.Then he said I would have to sign up for 4 years which I did. Needless to say, Army Security Agency was in Vietnam it was a Top Secret Unit run by the NSA, we were the Army Spys of the 60's and 70's. We were shut down by the NSA in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War. I have to say this was a very enjoyable time of my life worked with a lot of great guys at the 77th SOU
Clark Air Base in the Philippines and the 509th RR Gp. Davis Station, Vietnam ( yes, I went there even volunteered to go ). We were told not to talk about what we did in the Army for at least 30 years after the end of the Vietnam War as it was Classified.

I laughed out loud and asked my drill instructor if I could go home and take care of it. I was more than 1/2 though basic training.

I had failed a West Point and advanced ROTC physical, so figured I would fail that as well. Nope, passed with flying colors and spent more than 30 years doing want I wanted to do, be in the Army. Retired as a colonel.

I delayed entry enlisted in the Corps as a High School Senior in 1970, and headed off the boot camp a week after graduation.

First response shock. Draft board director called to tell me they dropped draft notice in mail. Later realized that call was best thing as I joined US Army as RA inductee. Opened all kinds of doors and opportunities. As southern boy, ran down to local barber, got a crew cut, got my head tanned before entry, passed through military barber line, got my first military $20.00 spent it on PX Static footlocker display. Qualified OCS, qualified as OCS Officer Instructor (black hat commander) , qualified as rotor wing pilot, served two Air Cavalry Units, Vietnam, etc

I knew my number was coming up, so I enlisted in the Marines with two HS friends of mine via the Delayed Entry Program. My dad (a retired USA Infantry LTC, WWII and Korea Vet) kind of jump-started the process by always asking me where I was going to live after HS, how was I going to afford college, where was I going to work without a car, etc etc etc.

My thoughts on the war? Well, I was very much aware of what was going on growing up in the Bay Area of California in the 60's. But, coming from a family that fought in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, WWII, Korea, I just figured I had an obligation to serve. Besides, I was young and thought I'd live forever. The genesis of my real understanding of the dynamics of our involvement in Vietnam didn't take place until I went to college. One of the most eye-opening books on our involvement in Vietnam, btw, is A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam by Neil Sheehan. Highly recommend it.

I had no real stance on the war, they gave me the "special talents" speech and sent me back less than six months after my return from Korea. My opinion was always that I was a professional and this was my job.

I was pumping gas at my dad station, having just graduated from high school. I had already enlisted in the navy and was waiting to go to boot camp. I saved the notice and its with my DD-214