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

I was in college when I received an invite to have a physical in March 1968. Afterwards, I immediately started to scope out recruiters from all services with a desire to fly. The USAF and the USN said "no degree, no fly". The Army recruiter had me take a battery of tests, a Class I Flight Physical, and then I signed on for the 90 day delayed entry program before being carted off to Ft. Polk, LA for Basic Training. I graduated for the Army WORWAC training to be a warrant officer helicopter pilot. One tour in Vietnam flying 4 different airframes with 3 major units during the scale down of Vietnamization Program in 1970. I had an enjoyable flying career of 27 years.

I was on deployment in Vietnam with the Seabees when I received a notice from my draft board stating "I was now too old to be liable for military service". I already had completed ten years in the "Bees"..

I got mine while already on my 1st Tour!

I got mine while on my 1st tour in VN!

I entered the Delayed Entry Program in 1971. Completed Basic Training and AIT and received orders for VietNam. Took a short leave at home and opened a letter my mother told me came in the mail after I left for basic. Opened it, and lord and behold, draft notice. I took it to my hometown recruiter and never heard anything after that. I thought this was funny.

I got my draft notice on the same day I went to MEPS at Ft Hamilton in Brooklyn NY for my USAF enlistment physical and testing. I called my recruiter and he had me return to Ft Hamilton the next week for Delayed Enlistment Program. On 22 Apr 70, while still a HS senior, I was an E1 in the USAF Reserve. In the end, the draft notice was bogus because I was still in high school. Wish I kept it, but I tore it into tiny pieces and tossed them in the trash!

When I received my notice, before the drawings, I thought this could not be right. I had tried to join the Marine Reserves 2 years earlier and been turned down because of the physical and told not to worry about the draft, I would never pass the physical exam. They lied. In 1966 if you walked in the door with out help you passed the exam. Being a Army Brat I had a change of heart. Suppose to report for induction on 20 March 1966. So I enlisted on 10 March in the Army and ask to go at once. In Sept 1966 got a nasty notice from my draft board, why had I not shown up.
Have to say, Germany was good duty and I had it great working in Bn Hqs. But two things made me decide to volunteer for Vietnam. 1. I wanted to make E-6 SSG and with 26 months in the service there was no way. But promotions were faster in Nam and I had to stay ahead of my brother. 2. it sounds silly now that I'm older but I wanted to know what it was like and if I could hack it. I grew up on war movies, My dad was infantry so we lived it. For Christmas at 10 years old my brother and I got full uniforms just like dads. Audie Murphy came to the house several time when we were stationed in San Antonio and at Ft. Ord. He and dad had been in WW2 togather. My brother and I were impressed.
After about 6 months in Nam I had a realization. They did not want us there any more than they wanted the French or any other army. Just leave them with their small patch of ground, a water buffalo and the family. They were tired of war and wanted peace.

My parents told me, January 1966 that I received my draft notice; I was in Navy "Boot Camp" San Diego. My Company Commander told me, "don't worry about it."

I actually never saw mine. It came while I was either at Boot Camp or Base St. Louis. My dad took are of it, and from what I have heard, thoroughly enjoyed doing so.

I received my draft notice while in USAF boot camp at San Antonio. I had a great laugh.