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

Vietnam was the furthest from my mind when I volunteered for the Draft in January 1960. I figured two years of duty would serve me well at first. I entered the Army 3 Feb 1960 and took basic at Fort Knox in the dead of the winter. Almost killed me, but I survived.
I didn't get to Vietnam until Feb 1971.

I was seventeen when I enlisted. It was either go in to the military or wind up in jail.

Never received one. But I enlisted in the Army at age 18 (Delayed Entry program), until I finished high school. Graduated and left 2 months later... Once I finished my Active Duty tour and came home I signed up for the Selective Service.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I joined the USN back in Aug 71... I had a rather childish notion of a Bosun's Mate in Whites on the Fo'c'sle of a destroyer making some fanciwork or something along those lines... But I had no real thoughts on the war in Viet Nam... Heck I was only 18 back then...

Never got one or a draft card, enlisted on my 18th birthday and left for basic 5 days later.

I was drafted in 1969, just before the lottery kicked in. A Marine Sgt. walked down the line and tapped men on the shoulder and said to step out if you were tapped. we stepped forward and he informed us we were drafted into the Marines. I said no way and he was nice about it - told me I had to do 3 years in the Army.

Was so long ago, do not really nor specifically remember; but probably oh, no, I don't wanna die in Vietnam....survived it and continued in US Army until retiring in 2008.

Excitement, My # was in the 300. I volunteer Like a true Citizen that believe in the story about God and country both of which turned out too be trader organizations.

I received draft notice in May of 1969. I had no particular stance on Vietnam at that time, On 26 June 1969, I enlisted in the Navy. Immediately after completing basic training, I was transferred to a guided missile destroyer in Norfolk, Va. I was initially assigned to the Deck Force with duties of mostly painting things, chipping paint, swapping the deck and loading ammunition. Fortunately, a First Class Yeoman requested that I be assigned to the Ship's Office. A couple of months later, I was transferred to Personnelman "A" School. And, after completing "A" School, I was transferred to a helicopter carrier in San Diego, CA and immediately deployed top to the Tonkin Gulf were we conducted combat support operations for Marines in Vietnam. After one year, I was transferred to another ship, dock landing, and deployed again to the Tonkin Gulf were we provided amphibious and combat support to Sailors and Marines. On this deployment, we transported troops uand supplies into numerous inland waterways of Vietnam and came under fire.

I went on to advance to Chief Petty Officer before receiving a commission via an in service procurement board for Limited Duty Officer. After completing 26 years on active duty, I retired and went to work for the Navy as a civilian, first as a contractor and then as a government service employee for the last 12 years before retiring on 1 January 2015.

3rd week of Navy boot camp (see profile photo), I brought it to my Company Commander, SFC Nabors, who laughed and said “Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it” and “Your ass is the Navy’s!”