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

I was in the Navy serving in Nam, in the Delta region, in 1967. My parents had forward it to me, so I sent it back postage free, of course, with a letter that read "if you would get me out of Nam, I would gladly come in. Guess what? I never got a reply from them. Times were very bad back then. Taxi drivers delivering "KIA" letters to next of kin, and the draft board unable to keep up with the personnel in service. By the time I received this notice, I had been in for over five years. My folks thought that it was a shame that the draft board didn't know who was where.

My mom had put it on top of the TV by the front door. Got home from work and read the letter; looked up and she had tears in her eyes. This was December 1967 and we knew little about Nam. But in my family, you served ( 6uncles in WWII) without question. Ended up in Nam from July 68 to September 69, as 11B10.....enough said

My Grandfather, Dad and Uncle were driving forces of my strong pro military feelings from a very young age. My Grandfather was with 3 ID when it was named “ROCK OF THE MARNE” during WWI. My Dad and Uncle enlisted the day after graduating Lexington MA HS in May 1941. My Dad served on Enterprise from Guadalcanal to Okinawa, where both he and Enterprise were put out of the War. My Uncle was an original 101st member and survived all of OL ABEs campaigns from Normandy through Berchtesgaden, then with the 173rd in Korea and then Vietnam. My Brother enlisted in 1966 and served three tours in the Nam. My Celtic warrior lineage goes back to the OL SOD and my youngest son enlisted right out of HS and did two tours in the Stan and one in Iraq. I believe my families military service is in our DNA, like we were destined to enlist and serve, none of us was ever drafted.

Since I enlisted I never received a draft notice.

No surprise, I knew it was coming sooner or later. There was a different mindset back then. You joined or waited for your greetings. Dodging was not an option. It was before the lottery, when the draft was still "Y'all Come." And I knew that going to Vietnam would be pretty much a sure thing, (and I was right). After Tet of '68, joining the Navy or Air Force was not an option. Around here, they both had waiting lists. The other dynamic was the Marines were drafting too. If Gunny tapped you on the shoulder, you were on your way to San Diego. Either way, an all expenses paid trip to sunny, South Vietnam awaited you.

I went to my draft board and presented my enlistment paperwork to them whereby they politely tore up my draft notice and congratulated me on my enlistment.

I never received a draft notice until AFTER I was on active duty in the Navy. I showed it around to the others and laughed about it.

Never received a draft notice. After being in the Army for over a year I did get a nasty letter from the selective service board for my area in California. They threatened me with being in a lot of trouble if I did not immediately register for the draft. I sent them a copy of my latest LES and promotion orders. I told them I was already in the Army, stationed in a desert over forty miles from the nearest town, and really did not care if they were upset that I had not registered for the draft. They never responded to my letter.

Did get a letter wanting to know why I did not register. Got after I had all ready enlisted.

I never received a draft notice, I enlisted in the USAF after graduating high school at age 17.