Once the government announced that they were discontinuing the student deferment, I obtained the application for conscientious objector status and also seriously contemplated moving to Canada. I had protested the war, marched in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and got a night stick in the back on the UCLA Campus when the students protested incursions into Cambodia.
Then the lottery was announced and of course, like all other young men similarly situated, I waited to see what lady luck would bring. I was one of the fortunate ones who drew a high number – 330. So, I tossed the C.O. application in the circular file and felt fairly confident that I would not get called up. I remember, however, watching reports of what numbers were being called, following the maxim that "you never know". I never was called, thank goodness. I lost a good childhood friend over there and for what?