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

Yes, a typical FUBAR. Had entered the Army through delayed enlistment which would have given me four months to get my job, car and personal effects in order. A week later I get the notice. The SFC at the recruiting station laughed. As we got closer and closer to the end of month reporting date, he called and said it could not be pulled back. If I wanted to be RA, and get my schools, I had to go in a day BEFORE my draft reporting date! That, plus a few other screw-ups along the line caused me to drop all the schools I had enlisted for and grab an "early out" that was being offered.

I never received one as I enlisted before I could be drafted, which leads to a funny story with my dad.
During Korean War my dad received his draft notice when he was already a 1st Class PO in Coast Guard.

Never received a draft notice. Did receive a letter while I was in boot why hadn't I registered for the draft! Had enlisted because I wanted my choice of branch of service.

I just laughed. i had been in the Navy for four years. I just threw it away. Never heard from them again.

Great question Colonel, and boy do I wish that I still had that "Greetings" letter! Personally, I'd had very little if any input from my parents regarding the war or the draft...I think in those days it was kind of assumed (at least in my social circles in a small town) that you went to college, or you joined the military, willingly, or not. I wasn't ready for either the military or higher education, so I "played the odds", hoping to avoid being drafted if at all possible. My method for avoiding the draft was to move frequently, hoping that I could stay one step ahead, and that they'd eventually get tired of trying to chase me down...I was wrong. I got my official notice in July of 1967 and was sworn in the following month; and I'm thankful to this day. My thoughts at that moment? Game over, they won, I'm going.

As for my stance on the war, well again, maybe it's a "small town" thing, but I don't recall having much of an opinion one way or another regarding the "right or wrong" of it...simply put, even at that tender young age I knew that decisions like that were way, way beyond my pay grade. As I mention above, I wasn't thrilled about the prospect of going off to war, but I wasn't willing to run off to Canada to avoid my duty to my Country either...that was NOT going to happen.

I spent nearly four years active, and 20 in the Army Reserves, and to this day I wonder how different my life would have turned out if I'd not been drafted. If I ran the zoo I'd reinstate the draft tomorrow!

1a45, I sat in front of the tv and waited for Nixon to say if he signed the peace accord and ended the draft, was ready to go, but he signed. I enlisted later enlisted any way, vetran like my father before me.

Located near the Canadian border (Buffalo), many fled to be Canadian citizens.
My parents had no influence on me and the war.
At the draft board induction physical I saw several popping down sugar cubes, to raise their sugar levels. Two that knew each other were faking homosexuality, and they got pulled out of the line. My first meal voucher was for lunch next door at Frank & Theresa's Anchor bar, the inventor of Buffalo wings!

While in Vietnam, my parents sold my '66 Mustang.
50 years later I bought a new Mustang GT-Premium with active valve exhaust!

I received my draft notice while in recruit training at GLakes. I never questioned the government's position nor with enlisting since it was almost a tradition for me as well as an obligation. My father had served in the Army Air Corps during the Second World War; he had two brothers who fought in Europe, one in the 82nd Airborne, the other in the 101st (surrounded at Bastogne); both had arrived at Normandy before the invasion, were decorated, and both were awarded the Purple Heart among other medals. Another uncle served in the infantry during the same time in Europe. One cousin was a Navy First Class Petty Officer who served during the Korean War. Two other cousins were Marines, one of whom served in Vietnam. My son served in a helo squadron during the Gulf War on the Kennedy (CV-67). I spent six years as an Aviation Electronics Tech (made 2nd Class) before discharge but went back in the reserves 15 years later, starting over as an E-4, and ended up retiring as a Chief in 2006.

Amusement. I was at RTC Great Lakes going through basic training. I gave the notice to my Chief, and he said he's take care of it. Never heard anything else.

I laughed as I was already in USN Bootcamp...