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

I got my pre induction notice on Thanksgiving and my draft notice on Christmas eve.
Thought I would beat them at their game and join to get "what I wanted". Didn't realize, back then, it was a "dream sheet" and not a contract like it is in the volunteer military.
Signed up to go to the WO pilot program and ended getting sent to Airborne Infantry. Got a lot of time in 'choppers' doing heliborne assaults in RVN and many jumps and repelling while in my unit doing various training exercises but no pilot program.

I "won" the highest draft # in basic training award (in my Flight #330) and 30 or 40 promises of a never-got beer, parents were both 1.5 generation first-generation-born of naturalized citizens (father=SSgt WWII DAV, Mother=1Lt Nurse WWII, Brother also E-4 USAF), I believed VN war was necessary (even though vets in college told me it was run as "the definition of SNAFU"), No, my parents only seemed disappointed that I didn't get 4 yr degree and ROTC/ OCS, but I never considered avoiding draft (didn't have to), I thought war protestors were simply cowards and phonies (still do), and parents never mentioned it to me.

I was hundreds of miles out to sea when my draft notice arrived. I had already joined the Navy. My parents had no influence on my decision to enlist. I felt that it was my duty to support my country, so I joined up.

Never had/got one, joint the Marine Corps at 17yr 27 days old, left Detroit via FT Wayne to MCRD San Diego, CA

They stopped the Draft before my year, but I served with a guy that said he never opened it. Saw the envelope and walked into the Navy Recruiting office. Told them he wanted to be on the base that day. Never knew if that was actually true.

“Well, this is a silly waste of time. Maybe keep it for extra shit paper.”, I said to my buddies as we ate C-rats and heated coffee over C-4 in the bush southwest of DaNang in 1970.

in June 1971 I was in USAF boot camp 2 weeks later my dad sent me my draft notice. I showed to my my MTI he goes grab the butt can. he handed me a liter. I said will I get in trouble. he goes boy your butt belongs to the USAF Nothing they can do. burned it. then4 months later I was on a flight to Cam Rhan Bay.

I’m too young to have received a draft notice (born in 1970), but I did get a call from my Mom while I was at Infantry Officer Basic Course, Ft. Benning, GA in 1992 informing me that I was being reported as AWOL by the National Guard unit I drilled with while I was an ROTC cadet.

Took a couple of phone calls to sort that out. They were unaware I had been Commissioned.

Had just started in the NROTC program. VN was just starting up. I opened the letter and thought “Thank God I’m in NROTC.” Took the letter to the unit’s admin CPO who said “I’ve got it.” Awhile later I received another letter telling me I had missed a date. As I listened, I was most appreciative of the CPO as he called the board and provided very direct instructions as to how they were to handle the situation. Got my reclassification a month later.

got mine in basic it was funny