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

I was in my second Day in Newport Rhode Island in OCS for the Navy...I handed Lt. Tarver my draft notice and he told me something like "Don't worry about it, Maggot. No power on earth can get you out of these hands...
I received a second Nasty gram while I was an O-4 serving in Japan at Misawa AFB.

I received mine while still in High School at the age of 17. Nine days before I was supposed to report I received a letter that said whoops. I joined in 1966 and two weeks later I received a Draft Notice again but I was gone. Ended up in Nam 67-68.

Really? Already enlisred what a joke! Can you imagine a draft today? It is against my constitutional rights!

It was year 1960. At 19 years old couldn’t find a job in the mountains of Virginia. The draft was closing in on me so I enlisted in the Army. Never looked back, served 22 years.

This happened to me after I had been in Thailand for four months. My first sergent was nome to happy to have a draft dodger in his squadron. Needless to say I had to go to a local US ARMY recuriter 5 miles from my base to turn it my draft notice. What a nice day off it was. Lunch on the local economy, with a couple of beers, a great ride and then the look on that recuirter's face when he saw my Air Force ID Card. Priceless!

I knew about when I was going to receive my draft notice because I had a hardship deferment until my brother came back from Nam. (He passed away a couple years ago do to Multi related Vietnam problems) I was the only one living with my Mom. No sooner he got home.............Off I went !
The long train ride from Chicago to Fort Polk LA. We were all Chicago "street smart " guys of all races. Ok...................that's where and how I got started in the Army and to be in the Engineers and a heavy equipment operator (62E20) for the next two years. my last year in Vietnam. I was assigned to the #4th engineers in Ft Stewart GA. Then we found out that we where all going to Nam as a BN. That's all equipment and personnel . At that time we weren't issued anything Green . We had to dye all our whites . There wasn't a package of green dye left in Hinesville or Savanna GA . LOL. Equipment went out ahead of us. We had to grease all metal for shipment. Then came the night we trucked (Secretly) to the Savanna Airport to fly to Calf. From there on to the USS Geiger Troop transportation Ship. 24 days to get there. Had to detour once because of storm. , But.....we made it . From( wherever landed ??) on to a C-31 to Bean Hoa . My Home base for the next year. Not my only base because we would go TDY to different area's /bases . AND , I was lucky enough to be TDY "Repairing runways " on the night that Tet started. LOL.... pretty lucky !!! NOT ! All hell broke out. If I remember right it was the first night that we were there. We were in a 10 man tent (I think 10 ???) I remember all kind ogf incoming all around . ( Remember er didn't know the are or where we where ...or where to go . I remember going out of the tent and seeing all kinds of commotion going on and rockets going off................. Funny thing .................to this day. I have no memory of anything else that night . For some reason I blocked that out. Oh, I had other close calls like many of did. And somehow ....................I'm here today to write about it. But Tears come to my eyes when I remember all who gave their life ..............for our great country. THE USA. Let us never forget .our brothers. My time was up and I came home. Three days after Martin Luther King was killed and there were riots all over Chicago . Think that I was safer in Nam. At least there I had my M16 . Then after that I was called baby killer..spat on............looked down on. I sure wasn't the hero that I thought I was . That's how I felt anyway . Took me many years to deal with that. Not sure that I really got over it , to this day. I operated Heavy equipment with Local 150 for the next 12 1/2 years . then I open my own construction General contractor company for the nex 30 years or so. 2006 had a heart attack .Four stints . 2007 my wife of 38 years left me .............to meet an old college friend. I know ,,,,after 38 years you would think that would never happen...but did. I was devastated for two or more years. Then ...........I met a Polish girl from Warsaw Poland. We will be married now going on nine years this July 19 ,2020. I'm retired now. God has been good to me . I "so far" Get all good reports on everything that's wrong with me. Keep my fingers crossed !! Ha, ha. I live a pretty good life . Not rich ,but I have everything that I want.can't complain. I still have issues with PTSD , but learned to live with them . I go to the local VA here . So, my Brothers and sisters. that's my Army story and a little of my personnel life. God Bless , Stay healthy. God Bless our country in this time of turmoil Corona Virus and unrest. RGS..............

My deferment ended in '69 after I finished school. In '68 I opened a boat dealership with a partner. I wasn't eligible for any other deferment, so I figured sooner or later Uncle would call. He did. I didn't want to leave because of my business but didn't have plans to go to Canada or shoot myself in the foot (my father figured I'd probably miss anyway). When my notice came, I felt weak in the knees. I reported for duty in September. My mother was sure I'd get killed in Vietnam. She was worried because a cousin who lived with her was in the 101st Airborne and was killed on D-Day. Once I was in, I didn't really care where I was sent. Fortunately, things worked out well. My test scores were good, so I went through 8 weeks of personnel training after basic and emerged as a 71H30. I spent a few months at Ft. Hood and then went to 8th Army Hqs. in Seoul, Korea for my final year. I have to say, my two years in the Army were probably the best two years of my life.

Well it was 1971 when I got my lottery number and it was 154. My chances of being drafted were very slim. Instead, 4 years later, I enlisted in the Air Force and served 20 years with no regrets. I then went to work for the Navy as a civilian for another 19 years.

Actually I was in MCRD San Diego when I received my draft notice Dutifully report that to my SDI Gy Harkins. He stated at the time get out he'd take care of it. . ( After graduation he pulled me aside and said that was the best Laugh the DI 's had) I had no stance that I can recall about the war, being fresh out of high school, just wanted to do by bit. My parents had nothing to do with my enlistment, they taught me to do what I thought was right. Now at 69 tomorrow, I have never regretted my decision. I went to Aviation mechanic school after my EAS and I think it actually helped me concentrate as I was in no way trained in said field

I was 298 in the lottery, as i was watching the news reporting draft dodgers and young men thinking about going to Canada! I felt it was wrong to not support our troops regardless if the war was right or wrong! I joined so someone could come home. I went to the Army recruiter's office and said I want to go to Vietnam and i wan't the shortest enlistment possible! Boy we have a deal for you! a 2 year enlistment with a guaranteed 6 month cut! my contract was 1 year duration in Vietnam and I'm proud of my decision