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Thread: Question about the draft.

  1. #1
    Boolit Master


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    Question about the draft.

    I was born in 1963, so the draft ended before I turned 18. My question is, if you received your draft notice, could you then immediately enlist in a different branch to avoid the army, or did you have to enlist before you received your draft notice? I was telling my daughter about the four uncles that served in the military during the Vietnam war, only one of which was army (drafted and served the entire time INCONUS). She asked me if the others enlisted in the other branches to avoid being drafted into the army and I don't know if that was possible.


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  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master
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    I think once you received your draft notice, you were Army bound. My ex B.I.L enlisted in the Air Force one afternoon and his draft notice was in the mail when he got home. He did go into the A.F., although the Army really tried to get him.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by SciFiJim View Post
    I was born in 1963, so the draft ended before I turned 18. My question is, if you received your draft notice, could you then immediately enlist in a different branch to avoid the army, or did you have to enlist before you received your draft notice? I was telling my daughter about the four uncles that served in the military during the Vietnam war, only one of which was army (drafted and served the entire time INCONUS). She asked me if the others enlisted in the other branches to avoid being drafted into the army and I don't know if that was possible.
    My number never came up, so I didn't have to worry about being drafted, but I knew several people who enlisted in the USAF before I did who did so because they had gotten their draft notices for the Army. It may have depended on where you were. Small town or large, for example. I spent some time in a small town in Western Colorado, and everyone knew everyone else's business, there. Including who'd gotten their draft notices. Moved from there back to a suburb of Los Angeles. Nobody knew anyone else, unless you'd been there for decades.

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    The draft ended in Jan. 1973.
    a few years before that, there was a lottery. Your ticket was your birthday. They drew 365 'tickets' every year.
    According to the needs of the military, they'd start calling up lottery dates.
    If yours was after say--- #100, you were pretty safe and wouldn't be called up.
    A number below that--- it was a good idea to go talk to a recruiter.

    If you were called up, it was for 2 years.
    You weren't going to be in long enough for the govt. to invest much in your training,
    so that usually put you in the Army, carrying a rifle.

    Before you were called up, you could go see a recruiter, and enlist for 3 or 4 years.
    That gave you a choice of which branch you went into, and some options on which schools you would be sent to.
    Trying to make a better deal when you were at the AFES station, was doable, but got a little more complicated.

    Other options going through the recruiters was to get a college deferment until you quit or graduated,
    and- they were also at the beginning of the path that led to going into the Reserves for 6 years.


    A buddy's older brother had a draft number of #3 in '70-71.
    He got a deferment until he graduated college, then was a Navigator/Bombadier on USAF B-52s for 6 years.

    I hated driving in downtown Dallas.
    In March of '73, I turned 18, and my recruiter drove me downtown to be sworn in on a delayed enlistement program.
    I shipped out in June, buy my pay entry base date was in March.
    It counted toward 'time served' when pay raises came along.
    When I got out, my time added up to 7 yrs. 10 months instead of the real 7 1/2 years I actually served.

    After I was sworn in, we went across the street and I registered for the draft.
    Last edited by Winger Ed.; 05-08-2020 at 01:51 AM.
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    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    Big difference today is that if they reinstate the draft, women will be probably required to register as well.

    https://www.military.com/daily-news/...hats-next.html

    After the Defense Department abolished all restrictions on women serving in combat positions in 2013, several plaintiffs, including the National Coalition for Men (NCFM), subsequently filed lawsuits challenging the "men-only" requirement of Selective Service. In 2016, Congress created the blue-ribbon panel to study the issue.

    On Monday, Harry Crouch, president of the NCFM, called Miller's decision "momentous" and said it is likely to place pressure on the commission and elected representatives to consider changing the system...

    In a statement on its Facebook page, the Selective Service System said no change to the process can occur without new legislation. The system "does not make policy and follows laws as written. As such, until Congress modifies the Military Selective Service Act or a court orders Selective Service to change our standing operation, the following remains in effect," referring to the requirement that men ages 18-25 register, while women are not [yet] required to do so.

    Defense Department officials have told Congress they support preserving the Selective Service System and welcome the inclusion of women. In a report to Congress in 2017, they argued that a future draft likely would focus on highly technical skills that are in short supply in general and, accordingly, "targeting a draft to only 50 percent of the available population would severely limit" the department's capabilities in a national emergency.

    Regarding Miller's ruling, Air Force Lt. Col. Carla Gleason, a Pentagon spokeswoman, referred request for comment on the case to the Justice Department. She added, however, that the Defense Department "needs and appreciates every qualified patriot who is willing and able to serve..."

    "We have looked at a range of options regarding Selective Service since we began. ... What, if any, modifications are necessary to better reflect the needs of a 21st-century Department of Defense, to include whether women should register; should the registration be more skills-based; should there be periodic re-registration or updates. These are the questions we have been considering."

    If the Justice Department appeals Miller's ruling, the case would be considered in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.

    Heck said the commission's final report is expected in March 2020, and it will then be up to Congress to decide whether to implement the group's recommendations, which could include requiring all 18-year-olds to register, eliminating the system entirely or introducing volunteer registration.

    A representative for the Service Women's Action Network, an advocacy group for female troops and veterans, said the organization believes the entire system should be abolished. But, added retired Navy Capt. Lory Manning, a SWAN spokeswoman, the group supports Miller's ruling as long as the Selective Service continues to exist.

    "It's about time women register for Selective Service too," she said.

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  6. #6
    Boolit Master
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    I was drafted in 71. At the end of induction they went down the line telling us what branch we would be in. I believe it all depended on who needed bodies. I volunteered for EOD (ARMY) and was accepted.
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    I was drafted in '66. I passed my physical and battery tests and had planned to go. My family gave me so much grief saying I would be going to Viet Nam that I finally gave in and enlisted in the Navy. I wound up in Nam in '69-70 anyway. Murphy was active then too
    NRA Endowment member, TSRA Life member, Distinguished Rifleman, Viet Nam Vet

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    Quote Originally Posted by swamp View Post
    At the end of induction they went down the line telling us what branch we would be in. I believe it all depended on who needed bodies. I volunteered for EOD (ARMY) and was accepted.
    An old friend told a story of his uncle being drafted in WWII.
    Back then, if you had a useable skill- that's probably what you were going to be doing in the military.
    If you were a cook- that's what you'd be doing. In construction? You were probably going to be a SeaBee, etc.

    His uncle was behind a guy that looked like a gorilla. Hair coming out every where, and looked meaner than a snake.

    The Navy Petty Officer at the desk asked him what he did in civilian life.
    He said he was a mandrel king. "What the heck is that"?

    He said he worked in the circus, and was in charge of the monkeys and apes.
    Among his duties was when they would stop performing, and 'entertain' themselves,
    he'd go in the cage and beat them with a night stick.
    (In a 'cage match' like that, even one mad chimpanzee has about a 95% chance of killing you)

    The Navy PO looked at him, erased the check mark in the box for "USN" on the induction form,
    and checked the box labeled "USMC", and told him, "Go get in that line over there".


    Something else about being drafted in WWII- it was an open ended contract.
    You were drafted 'for the duration of the war'.
    Last edited by Winger Ed.; 05-07-2020 at 09:25 PM.
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    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
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    EVERYONE!
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  9. #9
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by LynC2 View Post
    I was drafted in '66. I passed my physical and battery tests and had planned to go. My family gave me so much grief saying I would be going to Viet Nam that I finally gave in and enlisted in the Navy. I wound up in Nam in '69-70 anyway. Murphy was active then too
    I had two uncles in the Navy at time. One was on a gun boat in the Mekong delta and one was on the Forrestal when it had its' big fire. The Navy wasn't much safer than being in the Army.


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  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by SciFiJim View Post
    I had two uncles in the Navy at time. One was on a gun boat in the Mekong delta and one was on the Forrestal when it had its' big fire. The Navy wasn't much safer than being in the Army.
    The "Brown Water Navy" was about the most dangerous place in Nam. About 75 percent had at least one purple heart. I only had to put up with being shelled and sapers.
    NRA Endowment member, TSRA Life member, Distinguished Rifleman, Viet Nam Vet

  11. #11
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    Still carry my draft card from 1971
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  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    My number was 32, so I decided to enlist, since then I would have a choice on my military job. Tried the AF recruiter, didn't go well due to some procedural requirement that would take too long, so I spoke with the Army recruiter. That worked out better, so I went Army, and I'm glad I did. In fact, I did my 3 yrs active, joined the Natl Guard and 8 yrs later I transferred to the Air National Guard, and retired 14 yrs later.

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    Boolit Master slim1836's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JWFilips View Post
    Still carry my draft card from 1971
    I still Carry mine with the random sequence number of 001.
    Just my kind of luck.

    Slim
    JUST GOTTA LOVE THIS JOINT.

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    Quote Originally Posted by slim1836 View Post
    I still Carry mine with the random sequence number of 001.
    Just my kind of luck.
    Look on the bright side--
    If it wasn't for bad luck, ya might not have any luck at all.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by slim1836 View Post
    I still Carry mine with the random sequence number of 001.
    Just my kind of luck.

    Slim
    With that kind of luck, you need to find a poker game and see if you have any luck left!

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Some where between Thanksgiving and Christmas of 1966 I went in and volunteered for the draft, I was 18 years old. If I remember correctly it was somewhat difficult to get into the Navy or Air Force as a lot of guys were afraid of getting drafted and becoming a rifleman in you know where, so they were joining other branches of the military. If my memory is correct a few did join other branches of the military after receiving a draft notice, but not many. I just figured what the hay and took my chances with the draft. I got lucky and was a 95B. I feel for the 11B's, lot of the guys are suffering from agent orange in their old age now. The chemical companies knew damn good and well the long term effects of that stuff.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    Back around 1972 I got a letter from my draft board to the effect that I hadn't kept them advised of my address. I advised them that I had already served 4 years active duty and 2 years reserve and that I lived 83 miles from the Canadian border. Working for Uncle Sam had not improved my attitude!
    Loren

  18. #18
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    Graduated high school in '64 and enlisted while I was 17 and dad had to sign the enlistment papers. Spent 3 and a half years at sea. So in my case I never registered for the draft. Went down to the local draft board after I got out to register and handed the lady my DD-214N. Told her enlisted when I was 17. Got a draft card with the classification of 4A if I remember right. Still have all my cards. Draft card Geneva convention card,I.D. card,shell back card and my original DD-214N papers. What with the war in Vietnam heating up basically as soon as you registered you had to sweat the draft. Right out of high school,no job and of course getting drafted. Murphy was also working overtime as we did our Westpac cruise to Vietnam '66-'67. Funny thing, took the written and oral tests for MM3 & MM2 while we at sea during the cruise. Got out in Oct '67 and my buddy wrote me to tell me I made MM3 in the first increment and passed the test and oral for MM2. So basically all I needed time in rank and would sew on the MM2 patch on my uniform. And here I was two weeks home, we both got a big laugh out of that one. Navy was short handed and our engineering dept couldn't fill a full watch schedule. So for the last year or so stood 6 on and 6 off. Frank

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    Boolit Master trapper9260's Avatar
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    For me I sign up for delayed entry in the navy back in 78 in the navy. Because I think 76 or 77 they where talking about being back the draft and I did not want to get caught in it if it show up. I was 17 at the time and my dad sign the paper for me to get in the navy. I was still in high school at the time. I had enough credits to get my diploma from high school for the half part of my last year in school the guidance concealer wrote a letter for the navy to let them know I had the credits to get my diploma , because the navy wanted me to finish my high school before I went active.So I got that and one week out of high school I was on active duty doing boot camp. Since I had already got sworn in the navy at age 17 when I turn 18 I did not sign out for Selective Service . And when I was at boot camp and call home when they let us my mom told me that the 4 branches call to see about get me in after the high school was done and she told the navy that you already got him he is in already . I was told also since I had since up already at 17 that I did not need to sign up for Selective Service . I never did .I did my 4 years active duty in the active navy and did the time delay entry they count that as inactive reserves and then after the 4 years I finish my inactive reserves for the time I did sing up for was 6 years to give and then later on I did 2 years active reserves. I came out of the navy as EN3 did not push for EN2 . but was working on it .
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  20. #20
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    Registered in 68 when I turned 18 and was deferred since I was going to college. About 73 got a letter from the local draft board informing me that since I had graduated in 72 I was now classified as 1A. Called them back and told them that the were a little late, came on active duty 28 July 72 as an Infantry Officer (had an ROTC scholarship). We had a good laugh. Never got sent to VN, and when the war ended transferred to the Ordnance Corps, spent time in EOD, special Weapons and mostly conventional ammo. Retired 1 Aug 1992. Irony is my draft number IIRC was 356.

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