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

I never got a draft notice. I was in ROTC in college in 1972 when our lottery numbers came out -- mine was 219. But since I'd just been awarded an ROTC scholarship, I stuck it out and got my commission. Did 10 years active duty, another 18 reserves before hitting my MRD in 2003, retiring as a LTC.

HA ! HA ! Gave me an immediate new outlook on my "Friends and Neighbors" !! Lasted about a day or so and all was good after that !!! Turned around and joined. Ended up staying 6 years !!

I got reclassified from 1-Y to 1-A after an unenthusiastic year at Texas A&M, in a program my father picked for me, for which I was totally unsuited. (I was a math dyslexic, studying electronics. Poor fit.) My lottery number was 15, in a year in which they were taking up to 150. I enlisted in the Army because they gave me a choice of MOS. By that time, at age 19, I no longer supported the war because it was clear to me that our leadership had no plan to win it, as far as I could tell, but, coming from a military family, there was no way I was going to try to avoid service.

It was a good choice. I met my wife of 45 years (so far); she was also an Army medic. We both made careers out of nursing. I would do it again, with a better attitude and realistic goals.

I Laughed! I had already been in for six months.

Stance on Vietnam war,-- While I was all for stopping the spread of Communism I had encountered a lot of anti war sentiment in college, which made me conflicted.

Grew up in western Pa. Spent a lot of time in woods and hunting. Unfortunately that meant I ran into yea whoo's from Pittsburgh out in the woods. My first thought upon getting my draft was that I didn't want to get stuck with these big city A holes watching my back. Thought I would be safer behind enemy lines.

I laughed as I opened the draft notice. I had been on active duty for at least a year when I received it.

I registered for the draft but by the time I received my draft card they had stopped the draft. I enlisted a few months later.

Never got one. I was in basic the day after my 18th birthday.

I failed my initial physical in the fall of '68 due to recent case of "mono"....after I was cleared I went to enlist in early '69. In what I clearly see as an act of Divine Providence, the Army recruiter was at lunch and the Air Force recruiter was the only one in the office. I went on to serve 23 1/2 years.
My biggest chuckle was in '71 while stationed at Ramstein AB, GE, I received notification from my draft board that I had completed my service obligation. Don't think my 1st Sgt or Commander would have agreed! (my lottery number was 57).