Were You Drafted?

[mickeyd]

The military draft affected many young men in the 50s, 60s and 70s. I was not drafted, but I like to say that draft "inspired" me to join the army. After college graduation in 1966 my draft status was changed from 2S to 1A, so I enlisted for OCS in order to gain some control over the process.

Even though I disliked being required to enroll in ROTC for 2 years while a student, I ended up liking the army after all and ended up staying associated with them for 20+ years.

I had to plan my life around the requirements of the army and my decision to stay with my plan. I like it when a plan comes together.

How was your life affected by the military draft?

 

[Midpack]

I was only in the draft one year, and I drew a very high number, so I was unaffected. However, my Dad was a 'lifer' if that qualifies as being affected (I'd say not really).

 

[LOL!]

My dad spent a year in Vietnam. I had to do a lot of yard work by myself that year. When my kids were the same age, there was no way I would let them near a lawn mower.

 

[RobbieB]

No effect. I registered at 18 but the Vietnam war was ending and my classification was 1H.

No lottery, everything was on "hold"

Pops enlisted in the Navy when he saw all his buddies getting drafted for WW2. Thought it would give him more control (input) to where he would go/do. Worked for him too, he never left the states. His skills were better employed wiring up radar systems.

 

[atmsmshr]

The draft had ended by the time I was of age. Enlisted at 17 in the USN and learned a lifetime set of skills to start a career.

 

[Car-Guy]

I was eligible during the Vietnam draft lottery years and they drew a very, very, very high number for me. If I only win one lottery in my life, I'm glad it was that one. I was never even close to being called for a physical.

Talk about the luck of the draw.

 

[CardsFan]

No. The draft ended the year I would have been eligible. My lottery number was 23.

 

[imoldernu]

Entered ROTC in '54, and entered Army in 58 as 2nd Lt. After active service, stayed in active and inactive reserves until '66, as Capt., Inf. Left because we lived on Martha's Vineyard, and the Providence Reserve meetings took 3 hrs, boat/car travel each week, each way. 6hrs travel plus 2 hrs. each mtg. No miiltary benefits.

Fortunate to be between wars, but the possibility was always there.

 

[braumeister]

I could feel the draft, and sought shelter from it.

AFROTC was my shelter and I discovered I thoroughly enjoyed being in the Air Force. But 21 years later it had begun to pall so I bailed.

Several of my friends were actually drafted into the Army. Some of them never came home, some left parts behind, some considered it a worthwhile experience.

 

[rodi]

I'm a little young, and female, to have faced the draft - but my male peers all had to register... even though the Vietnam war was long over when they had to register. (late 70's)

My husband drew a *very* low draft number (9) and had only applied to one college... He was accepted to the school, otherwise he would have joined the Army Corp of Engineers (at that point he had an associates in civil engineering and was heading for an architecture degree). That was his way of taking control of the process.... choosing which branch. We've had long talks about what would have happened if he hadn't been accepted into his major.

 

[eytonxav]

I ended up with a low lottery number and would have been drafted, so I enlisted instead in USAF.


Edit - My memory is screwed up. Actually I enlisted in July 78, prior to the lottery, but would have ended up with a low lottery number when numbers were pulled in Dec 69.

 

[frayne]

Couldn't get a decent job out of high school and wasn't ready for college so, I joined. Went through basic, AIT, NCO school (aka shake and bake) jump school, ranger school and went to Nam as an E-6, assigned to the 1st Cav. After a year as a grunt came back to the states and was with A Co. 75th Rangers at Ft. Hood. An experience I wouldn't want to go through again but invaluable as far as putting life into proper perspective.

 

[Mdlerth]

By the time I turned 18, they didn't even have registration, much less a draft. ROTC didn't want me either, so I went on through life as a civilian.

But I love those folks who serve!

 

[ABQ2015]

My older brothers born in 1951 and 1952 were fortunate to draw high numbers in the 300's. My dad was very concerned and did not want his sons drafted. He was in a German POW camp for 1 1/2 years during WWII after his plane was shot down over Italy and it resulted in some permanent physical disabilities as well as PTSD (although they did not call it that back then).

 

[brucethebroker]

I was eligible during the Vietnam draft lottery years and they drew a very, very, very high number for me. If I only win one lottery in my life, I'm glad it was that one. I was never even close to being called for a physical.

Talk about the luck of the draw.

I've said the same...I won the biggest lottery! Nearly #300. I remember sitting in the TV room of our residence hall with about 50 other guys at our college. Quite nerve wracking.

 

[Walt34]

I was lucky and drew 256 which was high enough to not get drafted. I even took the written test to go in the Air Force but then decided to go to Community College instead, reasoning that if I didn't like school I could drop that and go in the service but it doesn't work the other way around.

 

[exnavynuke]

By the time I turned 18, they didn't even have registration, much less a draft. ROTC didn't want me either, so I went on through life as a civilian.

But I love those folks who serve!

They still have the registration, just no draft. I registered in 1995, then joined the Navy voluntarily in 1996.

 

[2soon2tell]

I had a 2S deferment all through my college years (64-68). After graduation in August 1968 I was called in for my draft physical in Sept 68 and immediately reclassified 1A. The Navy accepted me for OCS in Pensacola and I was sworn in in Nov. 68. If the Navy had not accepted me my Army draft notice would have been sent in late Nov. I entered Navy OCS in March 1969.

 

[Just_Steve]

To young for Vietnam and to old for Desert Shield.

 

[rodi]

They still have the registration, just no draft. I registered in 1995, then joined the Navy voluntarily in 1996.

There were a couple of birth years (about 5?) that were registration free - coming of age after the draft was cancelled, but before registration was retroactively reinstated in 1980. I think it was people born 1955-1959 or some such... I know my brother did *not* have to register - he was born in 1959. But my peers (born in 61) did have to register.

 

[MRG]

I registered at the tail end of Vietnam. The draft was over and our troops were on the way home.

 

[Gumby]

Back in the 1960's, we lived in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, while my dad made numerous trips to Vietnam, along with everyone else's dad in the neighborhood (base housing). I grew up assuming that as soon as you graduated from high school, you got drafted and went to Vietnam. My mother was having none of that. She had elaborate plans, involving the Peace Corps or VISTA or, as a last resort, sending me back to England to live with my relatives. Fortunately for us all, the draft ended the year I went to high school and then the whole war ended two years later. As it turns out, both my younger brother and I joined the Navy.

 

[Car-Guy]

I've said the same...I won the biggest lottery! Nearly #300. I remember sitting in the TV room of our residence hall with about 50 other guys at our college. Quite nerve wracking.

I was well over 300, almost 350. I too remember exactly where I was watching the drawing on TV and probably not fully realizing at that time how it would adjust the trajectory of my life.

 

[exnavynuke]

There were a couple of birth years (about 5?) that were registration free - coming of age after the draft was cancelled, but before registration was retroactively reinstated in 1980. I think it was people born 1955-1959 or some such... I know my brother did *not* have to register - he was born in 1959. But my peers (born in 61) did have to register.

Interesting. Didn't know that. Thanks for the info

 

[Animorph]

Born in 1954. As I remember I was lottery number 21 (1973 version I would guess). That was high enough that I didn't have to do anything. I had a friend or two with lower numbers (9?) who had to go in for a physical or something, but no one actually drafted. I think that was it for the draft, no more lottery after that.