In the spring of 1968, my senior year of high school, I had cartilage and ligaments taken out of my right knee due to a soccer accident. Having no money for college, I began work at a local bank.
In early June of 1969, I heeded my draft board’s summons and appeared at the Indianapolis Armed Forces Examination and Entrance station for a physical. Apparently my board had exhausted its limited supply of recent college graduates and was grabbing any nineteen year old who wasn’t a full time college student. After a few weeks’ wait, my board informed me that I was classified as I-A.
My surgeon disagreed and wrote the board that my injured knee would not tolerate basic training. He also told me that if I was drafted and injured in training, I would not get any G.I. benefits since the injury would be due to a pre-existing condition.
A few more weeks later, my board instructed me to see three separate contract surgeons who would verify my condition. Taking a vacation day off from work, I went to each surgeon, who gave me a more thorough examination than the induction center did.
My board soon informed me that I was re-classified as "I-Y (War or National Emergency)". This status was good for six months when I would be re-examined.
By the time my birthday was pulled as number 284 by the first lottery, I had enrolled as a full-time commuter student at the local campus of Indiana University. After that, I never had any more communications from my draft board.