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

I knew that I would serve in the military at some point long before I received my draft notice. Since I was 1-A with a 63 lottery number, I could be called up if something were to happen somewhere in the world requiring building up the military. I did want to enter the service with some options on what specialty I would be assigned and decided to continue my education before entering the military.

The draft in the United States never operated on a level playing field. Individuals who could not afford to pay for post secondary education, the poor and minorities tended to be drafted at higher rates than individuals who could afford to enroll in colleges and Universities or had family members with political connections.

During the Vietnam era the age of the average draftee is reported to have been 19 years of age, while the average age of the WWII draftee was reported to have been 26. I suspect that 18 and 19 year olds might be at higher risk of any number of unfortunate outcomes when in harms way during military operations and any number of non-military activities than slightly older individuals who have realized that they are not bullet proof.

I also think that in a democracy that purports to embrace the principles of equal rights, that all healthy persons of any gender should be included in any draft or other requirement to provide some sort of national service.

As an Army “Brat”, I suppose I always figured that I would serve in some capacity early on. My dad served during the Korean War, 1950-1953. One of my earliest memories was the excitement my mom had when my dad came home in his uniform. I remember the “angst” in the early Cold War days. At around age 3 or 4, I remember saying to someone (presumably my mom) that I would hide in the trunk of the car if dad went off to war..... Later, I lived in post WWII Germany where I was in Grade 1-3. I watched the Hawk missles shoot down the aircraft at White Sands during the Armed Forces family days. I endured the year my dad went back to Korea when I was 12/13. I graduated HS in China. I wrote this to put a context to what follows:

I worked with a number of great folks who were drafted. They were aviation, not grunts. I’d heard stories, but I never experienced identifyable problems with draftees vs anyone else. I was never drafted. I did register, but my time was before the lottery. Didn’t matter anyway. My S/N was RA68076284 as I volunteered for service out of High School. Unfortunately, Vietnam happened to be during my time. Didn’t matter. I was working under a different set of principles. When my dad brought home an Aviation Digest in July 1967, I knew what I wanted to shoot for. I mentioned it in my Senior yearbook, and it became reality.

Never got a draft notice as io joined teh Navy prior to my 18th birthday.

Received mine the day I raised my hand to join the AF in 1970...phoned back home that night to let family know all was okay. Told my wife to take the letter to the recruiter and let him handle it...have no idea what happened from there.

My Dad was a career Air Force Chief Master Sergeant and insisted that I attend a college with mandatory ROTC. So off I went to North Georgia College. I lasted 2 quarters and decided that I could get paid to wear the uniform. I just wasn't ready for college and had no idea what I wanted to do. I enlisted in the Army on 1 Dec 1965 and, like others, was in BCT when I got my draft notice. I laughed and call the draft board in Rome, GA because I knew one of the ladies. She straightened it out for me.

I was fortunate to be in and out of the Navy before this became an issue, separating Active Duty in September of '62. I've been thankful ever since, that I got fired from my first job after high school. I turned 18 in Boot Camp, and never did register with Selective Service.

What time did the Air Force recruiter open in the morning!

Well this sucks.

I had a lot to loose and did!!!!!!!!! fianc'''e business and for what?????

I joined after Vietnam but, I wanting to say THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE! Without your sacrifices, we wouldn't have had a solid foundation.