I was in my junior year at the University of Wisconsin, and unfortunately drew a low number. I had a student deferment at that time, so stayed in school, finishing four years but needing one more semester to graduate with an engineering degree.
Since the draft didn’t seem to be going to end soon, I found a guard unit in Madison and joined in the summer of 1971, hoping I could finish my last semester in the fall before being called to active duty for training. It didn’t work out. Two weeks after I started the fall semester in 1971, I was notified I had to report at the end of October. I withdrew from school. Sent to Fort Polk, Louisiana for basic training and clerk typist school, then Fort Sam Houston, Texas for medical records clerk training.
I got home at the end of March, 1972. I finished my BS degree and graduated in December 1972, so the guard training delayed my graduation for a year. I was never called to active duty at any time, unlike guard units these days. Just served my boring monthly guard weekends and two weeks per year. I was very glad when I finished my guard obligation in the summer of 1977.