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

Nothing particular as I enlisted in the Air Force, graduated from High School in June of 1966 and in August was in basic training. I had been Cadet in Civil Air Patrol and also had attended a Military Academy with an Army ROTC program. my Dad a WWII Veteran who also served in the US Navy during Korea certainly encouraged Me as well. My mom's aunt ended up spending 30 years on active duty with the US Navy during WWII, Korea and Vietnam. No one needed to draft Me and I served in that USAF uniform for 22 years. I did serve in Vietnam in 1968-69. I addition I continued to serve in CAP, the USAF Auxiliary for over 40 years as did both my father and brother. I'm also very proud MY first relative arrived in Massachusetts in 1637 and in the British colonies served in the French and Indian War then later on the Revolutionary War served the United States up to Me in Vietnam. Had Dad, some aunts and Uncles that all served within US Navy, US Army and US Air Force. Raised by conservative Republicans in My family, both Mom and Dads side.

Actually my Mom opened mine...seems I was out of town at the MEPPS in Indianapolis raising my hand to be a blue-suiter that day. When I later called and she told me i told her to take it to the recruiter and let him handle it.

O Shit me too

I was happy my brother did not get drafted. I was 2 yrs behind him.
When I was in High School my whole class was totally outraged for the draft being dropped.
It was our duty to serve.

I never signed up for the draft - I enlisted at 17.

The guys I grew up with all registered and signed up immediately after high school , no one waited for draft notice for fear of getting an MOS you didn't want, literally from 69 to 73 , all of my childhood hood friends joined Army, Marines and one guy joined Navy

Never received one. Enlisted at 17 on 26 November 1972 on delayed entry. Went active duty 3 January 1973. Draft was ended while I was in BCT. I remember quite a few angry guys who had enlisted for 3yrs with mos or duty station guarantees to avoid being drafted for 2 and going to Vietnam as 11bravo. Also, if you were RA, you were treated better than US.

Didn't get one; was in before it came.

I ignored it. Report day was same as USAF report date at the induction center in Detroit. I figured I would make them work at it. My draft board ignored my class of 62 long enough to mess up our life expectations. It was weird sitting at Ft Wayne MI with most of my classmates who were leaving for the Army. They paged me about the time I was leaving to catch a plane for Lackland.

I never received a draft notice. I had wanted to serve my nation as a soldier from the moment that I saw my cousin return from Korea. I went directly to college after high school. I wanted to enlist right after high school but my mom wanted me to give college a try first. And she wasn't going to sign for her 17 year old son. In the middle of my sophomore year I felt disillusioned and left class one afternoon in route to a recruiter. I enlisted as RA (Regular Army). Best decision I ever made. My folks weren't happy at first but they knew already that I wanted to seek my own path.