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

I got the golden draft card ...a very high number and a student deferment ...but didn't matter...I enlisted in the Marine Corps anyway. What was eye opening was sitting in the room with a few dozen others at the St Louis AFEES when a group of SNCO's from the various brances of service stepped into the room and told all those in the room who were 'draftees' to stand up... Then proceeded with a role call and what branch they were being drafted in to. Navy got high fives....Army got that 'OMG' look on their faces...and Marines got that 'oh...I just crapped my pants look.'...
I went to a C130 squadron for a year before going to Okinawa just as Saigon fell.
I did work with draftees though...and I have to say most were great Marines, but I can go on record as saying the worst Marines I ever worked with were draftees.
As far as the politics of Nam...I grew up in the Midwest...with southern Louisiana roots and family. All my family was and is very patriotic and all my relatives were appalled at what was happening on college campus' and the way people were treating military people in general. When I enlisted it caught nobody in my family by surprise. Viet Nam was something I grew up with in school as a side thought. It was part of our "Current Events' each week in Jr High and High School, so maybe it was fatigue or just jaded, but few took it very seriously. And to be honest, my college contacts who were anti-war,burning draft cards and taking part in sit ins...couldn't find the North Pole on a map if they had to, so nobody I knew took them seriously.

I was already enlisted in the USCG, and in boot camp and Cape May if the mists of the distant past do not deceive me. I never actually saw it, my dad took care of it and mentioned it after graduation, since boot camp communications were few and far between.

I enlisted in 1962 before I was required to register, and was commissioned from Artillery OCS in March 1965. While in technical training after commissioning I received a notice that I was in violation of the law and subject to arrest for failing to register for the draft. I drove from Ft. Sill to Shelby County, Texas, and reported to the draft board in uniform. The lady in charge took one look at my brand new gold 2LT bars, took the letter, tore it up, and thanked me for my three years of service. When I think about that experience, it still makes me laugh.

Hmmm...by that time I had already enlisted...

I got my draft notice on the exact same day I did my enlistment physical for the USAF (April 1970). I called my recruiter and said, "what do I do?" and he arranged a delayed enlistment in the USAF the following week. He said, "tear it up and toss it in the trash" ... wish I had kept it, but 4 1/2 years later had a house fire that destroyed all my USAF paperwork (minus my flight records) ... so it would have been toast in any case

I actually don't remember how low my number was at this point, but I think it was low enough that it couldn't be taken for granted that I would be safe from the draft. I had gotten married, was attending college, and enrolled in the ROTC program. The goal was to get commissioned and enter as an Infantry 2nd Lieutenant. It was 1974 by the time I graduated and was commissioned. The draft had ended and VOLAR had started. The Army did send me overseas, but it was to Germany instead of Viet Nam. Where I grew up in Kansas, we were ore insulated from the worse of what was happening, so not as engaged in the War Protests and we tended to perhaps be more Patriotic. I'm sure my parents were concerned, but I was an adult and they accepted my choice. I retired from the Army in 2011 and had seen service for OIF so it wasn't all just Cold War service.

I enlisted before my 18th birthday, so I never got a draft notice. But 2 1/2 years later, when I was home on PCS leave before heading to Thailand, my brother got discharged and had to sign up for the draft. I went with him to the draft office. The lady was typing up his draft registration when I asked what she was doing.

My brother explained that he was signing up for the draft as required. I asked, "What is the draft you are talking about." The lady stopped typing and asked me how old I was. I said 20. She said, "And you are not signed up for the draft!?" No.

She whipped my brothers paperwork out of the typewriter and started filling out a registration form on me. What is your name? What is your address? What is your date of birth? She finally got to the point of asking me where I worked. I said, "I'm in the Air Force Maam."

Her fingers stopped in mid-stroke. If looks could kill, I would have died right there. I'm sure if there were a way to Shanghai a person from one branch into another, I would have been an infantryman within the week.

Got drafted in 1972. Served 22 years and retired as a Master Sergeant in 1994. Didn’t get sent to Vietnam, but made it to the first Gulf War.

I had 4 weeks before graduation from high school, I got excited as I was ready to serve my country. We were Immigrants from Mexico and my brother whom got drafted before me and I knew it was time to give back to our country. Left to Fort Polk 5vdays after graduation. Viva El Army, Viva USA

I never got a draft card either. I enlisted in the Marines at 17, went to Parris Island, ITR, and later got orders in 1971 to South Vietnam. But after getting to Okinawa, I never made it "down south." I remained in the Corps and retired in 1996. At times I still regret not getting to Nam. I was surrounded by those who'd been there. However, had I gone I would have probably done things I'd have regretted for the rest of my life. At that age I had little conscience and would have tried to prove my manhood by being as brutal as I could be. A young Marine with a weapon is very dangerous. Fortunately, Jesus Christ had other plans. I am a happily retired Christian today. I was blessed!