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

Merry Christmas 1968 . 24 th the day it came. Basic in snow in Ft Lewis Jan 69. Not too thrilled about it as I had just turned 21. The 4 men from my hometown that had been killed in VN were all my friends or classmates. Spent 69 in California at Hunter-Liggett, reported in to Ft Lewis in Jan 70 to go to VN. My dad pointed out that Canada was not far away. I told him that was not considered, and I was not running away. He was fine with that. I was in 2/27 Infantry as a mechanic in the motorpool, but I got sent after anything that broke. Some good times, some bad.... When we officially went into Cambodia I thought we were finally going to get something done right. The troops did well, the politicians back home did not.... I made Spc 4 while incountry, and the re-up talk was given but it was time to come home.

As natural as breathing. My family (all) have a military back ground as far back as I can trace.Just what was expected.

I never got the chance to. My dad told me via friends from his friends on the county ADS draft Board my lottery nr was coming up so I evaded the draft and enlisted Halloween 1970.

I had a draft number of 153 in 1969. I was on a college deferment so I was sort of "safe" and wasn't particularly worried being drafted. A few month later in perhaps February I decided college wasn't for me so I skipped a couple of winter quarter finals. Of course I was notified by the university I was asked to leave as my 1.997 GPA was below the minimum 2.0 so I went down to see the Navy recruiter the next morning. From the time I was about 12 I wanted to be a sailor. I grew up in a lower middle class home in "farm country" in northern Indiana, about as far from the ocean as was possible.

I was a recruiter's delight. Being as I was moderately educated and eager. I listened with interest as he "blew smoke up my backside" and believed. He promised I could get advanced electronics training if I would only agree to 2 extra years. I was ready, but he said it would take a couple of weeks. I went down to Indianapolis to the AFEES center to take the first battery of tests. When I got back he had some of the results and flashed that extension paperwork which I signed.

A week later My parents dropped my off for the bus back down to AFEES to be inducted. When they arrived back home they found my notice to report at the post office. They told me in a letter a few days later. I don't remember doing anything but laugh. I figured I was already in so what could happen?

I found out after arriving at Camp Barry RTC Great Lakes, Illinois he had lied. I did qualify for the advanced training by my efforts and was able to spend the next 10 years active and 12.5 Naval Reserve. Met my wife in the Reserves so I don't regret a day.

I never received the draft notice. I enlisted in the Army as soon as I turned 18. My father would never sign for me to leave earlier (he himself was an Army deserter and hated the military) and my mother would never go against his wishes. I would have been drafted (my number was 3) my younger brothers went to the enlistment processing station and came home like 3 times each. M father made it very clear that I would never make it in the military. He was right I only made it to 24 years. I never made it to Vietnam despite having orders. I was told to go and speak to the office of the Army security agency on Fort Ord about 3 weeks before that and said I was interested. I took my orders to the ASA office and said I guess I cannot join ASA. The Officer there took the orders and said "Don't worry about it." and thanked me for bringing him my orders. 2 weeks later I was called to the School first sergeant office and told my orders had been cancelled and I was being held over until new ones were cut. Long story short I ended up in the ASA in Germany who at that time were the biggest bunch of druggies I have ever met. Fun times. I volunteered for most of the other areas that we were in conflict at but would never be sent.

I was pissed that the war wasn't being won because the idiots in DC were tying the troops hands. They wouldn't let the generals do their job and too many guys were coming home in boxes. I had an especially good job for a young person and I didn't want to lose it so I joined the National Guard. I figured if I then had to go then I would go no problem. As it turned out I got my draft notice three weeks after joining the Guard. Our unit was aviation surveillance so there was a fairly good chance we would be called up. We were on alert with all our gear three times in the six years I was there but we didn't ever go as it happened. I have no idea what happened but frankly, after talking with a lot of our pilots who had been there, I was greatful that I didn't have to go. I still don't know if that's ok or not fifty years later.

I take it that you were a good officer! I also tended to be a smart ass...didn't always work well. Still am, according to other people. If you do your duty, do it well, and obey orders. It's all good. In most cases you'll get a little latitude, just don't push a bad position.

I registered my senior year of high school in 1969, got a college deferment (1Y) but wasn't really the college type, looked ta the wrong lottery year, saw I had a high number and took my chances and dropped out, got a job. I found out later I looked at the wrong year, was told my number was 38, so I volunteered for the draft hoping to avoid Viet Nam, while in basic training found out my number was 338 not 38, but still had to deal with the Viet nam issue. Was deferred after receiving orders for Viet Nam, went to Korea instead, spent 14 months on the DMZ and felt the whole time I would have rather been in Viet Nam. Had mixed issues about the war but lost too many friends to not want to go. Besides, those of us who grew up in the '60s weren't supposed to live past 30 anyway, right! Needless to say I have lived a long way past 30 and don't regret too many of the days over the next 20 years. Started during Viet Nam and ended just after Panama and Desert Storm.

I received my draft notice on Christmas eve! I was really a F&*k up at the time and my dad a WWII Marine came down the stairs two at a time singing the hymn ............... not funny at the time............hell still not funny! In retrospect, it was the best thing ever for me!
I received my GED, got married and had our fist born during my stint, still married and 4 great kids with 7 grand kids! Prison and or death was my destination had not the draft taken care of my sorry ass at the time!
I proudly served for my country and truly had no stance on the war. I had lost two high school friends so the thought wasn't pleasant but fleeing or faking an out wasn't in my vocabulary.
After a brief all expenses paid trip to VN I was treated to a stay in Europe and am now reflecting, some good and some bad.
First time I heard 'Welcome home" was about 4 years ago (I came home in 72) at a place in Statesville NC called Ricks Cafe. Second time I cried since returning home (1st was in a bar after a bad night in 73) I am honestly sleeping better than ever before.............
However the standing -v- kneeling thing has gotten me riled up............no ...........raging MAD!
With all our difficulties and past indiscretions, THIS IS STILL THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH! THANK GOD FOR YOUR LIFE HERE IN AMERICA ...................
AND THANK A VETERAN FOR YOUR FREEDOM! DON'T TREAD ON MY FLAG OR COUNTRY!

I was expecting my notice beforehand.I had to get a deferment to finish school. I kind of dreaded what I was in for but I knew it was my duty as a citizen to go forward.
I thought the Vietnam war was wrong from the start. Not for us but for the Vietnamese people and how they were being treated. I was also in favor of helping stop the communist, and the Chinese.
My parents didn't try to tell me what to expect. I don't think they knew much of what was going on at the time. My father never went into the service and didn't know what to tell me.
He just told me to do what I was told, keep my mouth shut, and don
t volunteer for anything. I later had my drill SGT tell me the same thing.