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

I SING UP FOR THE DRAFT BEFOR 30 DAY'S FOR MY 18th BIRTHDAY 1976 and I STILL HAVE MY DRAFT NOTICE.

I was well into basic training when my draft stuff came. My mom told me about it. I never actually saw, though.

Despite my willingness and readiness to enter the Army, I opted for the draft option. I was ready to go as I had been primed for the military through high school Army ROTC. Rather than being assigned to a combat arm, the military sent me to Fort Gordon for radio-teletype school (Signal Corps) simply because my aptitude for signaling was a result of my musical abilities. I had aced the Morse code test.
But, no, my mother had not influenced me one way or the other. My father was out of the picture, although from his service as a horse-soldier (cavalry) at Fort Oglethorpe, GA, had applauded my choice for an Army career.
Strange as it may seem, I didn't go to Vietnam until my 11th year in service as an E7--an intra-theater move from Germany.
From Vietnam I entered the Military Intelligence community and rendered communications support to the Special Security Office detachments--a move more to my liking.
Great question, Colonel!

never registered for the draft I celebrated my 18th Birthday at Lackland AFB going through Basic Training

Was with a friend whose husband was MIA back in `69 when my draft card arrived, she asked if I was going to burn it, I said hell no, I want to go, she told me I was nuts. Could not wait for my trip to the Brooklyn Navy yard for my induction physical, all was well till the doctor noticed a scar on my stomach from a car accident 10 years earlier, he asked one question....Do you have your spleen, and I replied that I did, he wanted me to prove it, told him to take an xray, he said I had to get the medical records from a hospital that burnt down 10 years before. Bamm the stamp came down 4F, pissed I went home dejected and depressed but not discouraged. Tried a bunch of recruiters in New York with no luck, tried a few in Boston, and in `75 I made it. Shipped my ass off to Ft Knox, during low flying aircraft drills an announcement came over the loud speakers, the Vietnam conflict is officially over, this statement is backdated 30 days. Thus began a 6 year career if disillusion and the realization that after a conflict, being a service member meant nothing to the outside world and almost as less to those of us in uniform. We were the scapegoats for many politicians, deprived of equipment, replacement parts and given days of make work.

Received my notice while I was in basic training. My drill instructor was amused.

Took a break from school! Totally forgot the draft was on, month later got a call from director of selective service, my rural town that he placed my draft in the mail. Decided to become RA and joined Army. Got my hair flat topped before basic and enjoyed the ride in spite of Vietnam because of the doors that opened and getting a commission. Being a Calvary pilot highest honor.

I was AX2 1st tech in the PI flying crew on a P3. I just took it to legal and dropped it off do not know what they did with it.

I guess, I missed this discussion. Age 19 , married 3 months, several HS friends alread killed in Vietnam War, dads & uncles who had served in WWII & Korea, and living in economically poverty; I said "it my time to serve." After sharing my draft notice with my wife, I told her I was going to enlist and try to better our lives. Went to the Marines but they were not taking married men, went next door to the Air Force and they swore me in. The rest is history for our family.

I was funny to me. I was in Air Force Basic Training at the time.