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

I beat them to it also, I was in boot at the ripe old age of 17 and 4 days. I did stay for the full 20, had its ups and downs but would do it all over again. I and do understand it was not for everyone, but the ones that at least stayed for the 3 or 4 year hitch did learn a lot that helped out later in life.

I got mine while in basic. So decided to have a bit of fun with my Sr DI. I reported to the SrDI and told him I had to go to Iowa by Friday. He looked at me and asked why, I said, "I was just drafted". He did not see any humor in my stunt.

Run down and become Regular Army

I had to dodge the draft as best I could back in '71. So I enlisted in the Air Force as soon as I returned from visiting family in Mexico. Went thru BMT, tech school and got my orders for SEA (Thailand). Half way thru my tour, I was called into the 1st Sergent's office, which led me to believe my life was over. Reporting to the 1st shirt, he held up an envelope with a DOD stamp on it. It also had the Department of the US ARMY on it. FUBAR came to mind. I opened it and it was my draft notice! The 1st sgt said I had to go explain to the ARMY recruiter down the road at the ARMY's base at RAMASON.
So since I didn't have a driver's license yet, one of my shopmates would take there. We drove down in civies with me thinking I would have to change my enlistment to the ARMY! We arrived at RAMASON and found a building with a big sign outside saying REUP ARMY out front. I walk in and this ARMY E8 welcomes me in. He pulls out enlistment papers (smiling from ear to ear) probably thinking of whatever bonus he'll be getting outta this. He asks for my ID and passport. I place my mklitary ID on his desk and the smile disappears faster than the Road Runner from the coyote! "Damn, that's f!.#ked up! Needless to say I remained AIR FORCE for the next 18 1/2 years.

I never got a draft notice. I quit college in June of 65 and volunteered to enter the service on 7 Jul 1965. I went through Airborne training, Special Forces medical training, got to Viet Nam as recon with the First Brigade of the 101 Airborne.

Numbness, nervousness and anticipation. I had no stance on the war I just did as the letter said. If I'd gone to Canada, took off or disobeyed its contents my family would have disowned me...and I would have felt as a shirker and would never have forgiven myself.

In July, 1967 there was just a surprise letter, no lottery or warning:

"Greeting from the President,
You are hereby ordered for induction...".

I had about ten days to settle things before I left.

My mother took the news gracefully and my father was deceased at the time. As for my siblings I heard no opinion but they knew that I would obey.

Hi Col. I sort of expected the notice since I graduated college in '68 and knew my deferment was done. No big surprise. Actually, this was my second draft notice. If there was any reaction it was: The BITCH* at my draft board finally got me. She tried once before, but I failed the physical and was classified 1-Y.
While I was not really military-minded, I always thought it might be nice to be an officer so when they waved OCS in my face I jumped. Oh yes, thought I was going to Belvoir; however, as is the Army's wont, I ended up at Benning! Heard infantry can be dangerous, so transferred to the Signal Corps.

My view of the war was: We should not be there. Wasn't my war. I first read about Vietnam when I was in 6th grade and 13 years later, I was in country!! It was something about the political situation and something Foster Dulles said about elections. There was also something about the partition, which I didn't understand. Fast forward I'm in college and now there's more info on what was happening and developed a better position for why I opposed it. When I finished OCS and joined other junior officers, discovered I was not alone. By then we knew McNamara, Westmoreland, Johnson, Rusk, Bundy were all liars. You better believe I opposed the war. A waste of American lives. The only person who told the truth was John Paul Vann. However, if someone had to be there, better it was me than someone who believed we were doing the right thing.

Parents didn't know what to believe. They survived the Depression and WW-II so generally believed the Govt; however, they eventually realized the war was a waste. Although, my dad did enjoy telling his cronies that his son was an Lt and his son-in-law was an AF CPT and pilot!

*Before leaving for Nam went back to see the Bitch at my draft board. Put on my uniform--less name tag---and went to the office. Unfortunately, she wasn't there so when the folks asked if there was a message, I stopped turned and said, "...No, we just have an old score to settle" and walked out smartly.

When I received my draft notice, I was already in Navy boot camp. At the time I was unsure about the war. I eventually spent a year in Vietnam on shore duty. My parents weren't for the war. Thinking back, I'm glad I served.

I had to register for the draft but the draft was effectively over by then. I always knew I was going to serve at least one term while growing up. It was just something the males in our family did. I also knew that there was a lot more going on that we weren't told about in both directions. Right or wrong, if I didn't stand up and serve I didn't feel like I had a right to voice my opinion. Too many people were claiming to know better but weren't willing to put it on the line for my taste.

Jimmy Strickland got a draft notice and damned near had to strip naked to prove that SHE wasn't eligible for the draft