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

Never received notice, joined with two friends. I was in a Hawk missile battery and they all went to Nam except for me, was assigned to PMO. When I received my good conduct ribbon my first Sgt said I have good news and bad news which do you want first, he told me I had been awarded my good conduct medal then came the bad news, I had received my orders to Nam he then told me if I did not want to go he would speak to Gen Marion Carl because I was sole surviving son. He told me to think about it and let him know. The next morning when I reported for work I told the First Sgt I would go to VietNam.

I quit high school and joined with my twin brother COL Mikel J. Burroughs. My twin brother and I would have avoided Nam except he screwed up one more time so they shipped him to Vietnam at 17. After incoming the first night he told them he was 17 so they ship him to Okinawa. I knew he was going back at 18 so if he were going I was going. I had just over a year in and i reenlisted to go to Nam. The retention NCO thought I was certifiable and refused to do the paperwork for a week!

My lottery number was 261 and I joined
June 1, 1972 active duty but I had delayed enlistment May 5, 1972

I'd already enlisted. Funny thing, my birthday was so far down the list that I never would have been drafted if I'd stayed around to see what happened. . . .

My stance on the war. Young kid that had no idea. Take care of each other. Pouring down rain with the 101st in I Corp. I stopped the patrol and had a thought. How in the F did I end up here. There is people in the bush that want to kill me. Thought about my friends back home with high draft numbers and how lucky they were.

I lied to my dad the night before I went and told him I was going to Korea. He took me to a local bar and got the truth out of me. Offered me money to go to Canada. Many of my friends were killed or wounded at this point of the war. Western Pa. has a lot of Vietnam Veterans. I couldn't accept his offer.

I received mine in USMC Boot Camp. Needless to say, mail call that night was... interesting.

Never received one. I had a 2S deferment for college. Then the lottery began and I was #257. I headed back to NY, went to my draft board and told the lady I wanted to change to 1A. She tried talking me out of it. I told her I was 257 and they would never get to me. If I waited until I graduated I could end up with #1. No thanks.
I planned on going in on my time and terms. I did have one of my friends who graduated before me get drafted on graduation, 2 months before the draft ended.

I started college and had a 3.2 GPA my first year. Of course that was a cumulative GPA for three quarters. My deferment was pulled and I was 1A. There was no lottery in June of 1966. I was repeatedly told to join the Guard or reserves but I had zero interest in a six year commitment so I just waited for the draft notice. I did reapply for a 1SC but that was denied. My grades were just too awful. The notice for my physical arrived in May of 1967, I took the physical in June and got my notice to report in July. Formal induction was in September. I was in excellent physical condition so basic was pretty fun. I was appointed Platoon Guide and never relinquished the position.
I knew what was coming when i flunked out of college and I wasn't concerned that my odds of going to Viet Nam were about 99%. Of course my MOS was 11B10. I was platoon guide in AIT too and was sent to Hawaii to join the Americal Division. We deployed as a unit in March of 1968. I was wounded in December and sent back to states in February. Discharged in June and leveraged vocational rehab program through my MBA.
The Army was a terrific experience for me and the VA was fabulous.

I wasn't drafted but went in the fall after graduation, 51 years ago Nov 2. don't regret it, I saw more than most of my classmates and was able to use my AF job to enter private ind. after leaving and spent 40 with a power co. I'm a little beat up but made a good living and trying to enjoy retirement

I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. I had just returned from my second tour in Vietnam. A few of my civilian job offers had fallen through and I was tempted to see what happened when they drafted an E-6