Starting in late 1969, I became active in the anti-draft movement. At the time I was a student at USC and transferred to UCLA in 1970. I led a small group in the San Fernando Valley that decided the best way to fight the draft was to adhere to the draft regulations exactly. Briefly, the regulations required that registrants report to their draft board any change in address or health status. We, and those that we advised, reported any change in address or health (we sent letters to all new draft registrants and to those recently reclassified who lived in the San Fernando Valley).
So, every time I went to visit any of my friends for a weekend I sent my draft board a letter indicating my new address. When I returned from my visit I promptly sent them a letter indicating that my point of contact was once again my original address. When school started, I indicated that my address was my dormitory and when I went home for a semester or quarter break or a weekend, I indicated that my address was my parents’ home. I also had all my physicians (internist, ophthalmologist, orthopedist, and allergist) send letters describing my medical conditions and history to my draft board. These fine doctors kindly sent updates after every visit. I also sent the draft board a letter every time I got sick or injured (every cold, every gastrointestinal disturbance, and every sprained ankle) and another letter every time I recovered.
One day I received a letter from my draft board reclassifying me as IV-F (deferred for medical reasons). I was amazed! I had never asked for a reclassification and I was never interviewed by the board. I guess that they just got tired of my constant stream of letters. Shortly after my reclassification I received my lottery number following the 1970 draft lottery. I drew number 264. Either way I was not going to be drafted, but at least I worked hard for my 4-F.