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

well I join in 1959 so the draft did not even think about, would have stayed longed but got shot

It was the summer of 1967 after my 3rd year in college in central Florida, I was off in Europe attending a 5 week travel-study program abroad for 4 additional college credits. I was paying my own way in college so my father agreed to graciously pay for this opportunity as also my younger brother. I had been watching the news every night and knew what was happening and why. Upon returning from the airport after the trip I was informed (eventually!) that my draft notice had arrived while I was gone and I only had 2 weeks left to report! I was startled since I was given a 2S draft deferment and had 2 more years to go in Florida's 5 year program for engineering degrees. They insisted that the deferment was only good for 4 years of college and since I wouldn't graduate at the end of 4 years my deferment was revoked! My Dad had gone to West Point and into the Army Air Corps for WWII which became the US Air Force after that. So he wanted to take me to the USAF recruiters and to go Air Force. I had no problems with that as I wanted to make my Dad proud and content. However, there was a 6 month waiting list to get into it! So, after getting some advice from my future father-in-law, a retired Marine Corps Sgt. Maj., I was "shown my path"!

I knew what communism was and some of its terrible history. I believed the "Domino Theory" about communism in SE Asia, so I was not against the war in principle. As time would show, that was correct and many hundreds of thousands died to prove that point. I DID disagree with the way the war was prosecuted! It is STILL my opinion that the politicians get first crack at diplomatically PREVENTING a war with discussions & "compromise", but if THEY fail in that regard, then they give the military the LEAD and we go resolve the problem! We'll report back when the mission is accomplished! I will NEVER accept a DoD that ties our hands with bogus Rules of Engagement that purposely results in ineffectiveness and friendly deaths! If you are unaware of what I mean by "purposely", then you need to find out about the Illuminati and its New World Order and its goal of overthrowing the US Constitution and this government from within!

My mother was completely ignorant of everything important so was not a factor in anything. My father was very concerned about my well-being, but was limited in what he could do to prepare me for war! He had spent his time in the South Pacific fighting Japanese and he gave me advice on what to expect and the general conditions of war. (Hell!) I was best prepared by the nightly news which was intentionally gruesome. I would rather expect that than be surprised on arrival!

This last comment is irrelevant to the questions, but is the most significant factor to come out of that situation. I had met the girl of my dreams on that trip to Europe and was planning to date and marry her if she would have me. Upon finding out I was drafted, I opted out of pursuing her thinking that I couldn't bear it if I was killed or (worse) maimed in that war because of what it would cause for her. I went off to war and she went off to college never to see her again. I survived but because of the circumstances I put her in, she died in a traffic mishap a few years later that I wouldn't discover for another 20 years.

My SS number was very high. I enlisted in the USMC. I would do so again.

I was not drafted. My SS number was very high. I volunteered and would do so again.

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.