Posted on Mar 11, 2016
What were your feelings and thoughts when you first opened your draft notice?
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This question is for our Vietnam era Veterans here on RallyPoint. Share with us what your feelings were when you first received and opened your draft notice.
The Comments Here are Historical and Awesome!
What was your stance on the war? Explain your opinion
Did your parents put ideas into your head about the war that you didn't nessisarly believe in?
The Comments Here are Historical and Awesome!
What was your stance on the war? Explain your opinion
Did your parents put ideas into your head about the war that you didn't nessisarly believe in?
What Would You Do
Warfare
Service
Vietnam War
Edited >1 y ago
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 927
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The draft board was like any other federal office....I was an E-4 on active duty when I got mine....send it back telling them they were way too late.
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PO2 David Allender
I was E-5 when I was in Nam and got my DRAFT NOTICE, Chief. I guess that the draft board just could not keep up with who was in service or not. You are right about it being just another federal office. What a wasted manpower. I really feel sorry for those still serving. For they are getting shafted as well. All I can say is Welcome to the club fellas. I think that the governments should go to war, since they start the thing. Just maybe that way the folks in the governments will find out what is really happening in war, and somedauy soon, the world just might be a better place without war.
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I was in Boot Camp in Great Lakes and called home when my dad (my father was on active duty in the air force at the time, in 1968) and told me he had received my draft notice, and BURNT the thing....I asked him why and he said why not it's what's everybody else is doing,besides you are already in and there's nothing they can do about it! My dad retired after 30 years of service and one thing he told me...You must join the military no matter what because you owe the country and it's people and ancestors for giving me the freedoms that I enjoyed. I was confused about the war as I didn't know that much about why it had started or caused it, my first cruise in 1970 to Nam was ok BUT my second and third tours over there went much better and I didn't care what or who caused the war I got to perform my job as the leading Gunners Mate on my ship, a Navy Destroyer George K. MacKenzie DD836 providing NGFS to the Army and Marines in country...AND WE GOOD TOO! so in the end I WAS PROUD TO HAVE SERVED MY COUNTRY NO MATTER WHAT! I retired from the Navy in 1997 as CWO4 and was happy with all my accomplishments
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I was in Vietnam when I received my Draft Notice. I wrote back and told them if they could get me out of Vietnam, I would be glad to be drafted!
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PO2 Robert Thickman
I got my Draft Notice two weeks after I had already enlisted in the Navy... the Navy won!
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Didn't get a notice just a notice to register, I replied - Holy crap! Why am I getting this when I am serving on active duty?
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My Draft notice was actually a letter threatening to send the FBI after me and have me arrested for failure to register. I already had been in the Army since I was 17, and had 6 years of Active Military Service and had already done 3 years in Germany, 18 additional months at Fort Benning GA, and 1`1 Months in Nam, my mother had forwarded the letter to me while I was in Germany about three months before I left there, and it had followed me to FT Benning to Nam and caught up with me at Walter Reed. Fun time.
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CPT William Jones
Back then you were required by law to register within a short time after you turned 18 regardless of where you were or what you were doing including already on active duty.. if on active duty you were supposed to notify draft board when you got out. I am not certain but believe the law is still on the books and 18 yo still need to register just in case the draft gets reactivated.
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SFC Charles McVey Sr.
When I came home from Germany, I had stopped off at the local draft board, in Uniform< and informed them that I was on active duty in the Army and enroute to Fort Benning. The lady I talked to took my name and everything and said she would take care of it, yeah right-typical bureaucrat. Since I never got out officially until 1973 and then went back in 1874, I wonder if I should have let them know when I retired from the Army in 2003.
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I actually never saw my draft card until after I'd discharged. Enlisted at 17, so basically avoided the draft. :-)
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Obviously, I have never received a draft notice, but this discussion is an amazing read. Thank you all for your service and sacrifice, and thank you for laying the groundwork for my generation of servicemember.
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Cpl Lloyd Martin
After returning from Nam did have to go register. Was 19 by then. Was only 17 in April 1068 when went in
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