Jon, Bosnia, 1969. No. 365: ROTC Shoes

I was draft-able, I-A I think they called it, for about a year before the lottery because my grade point was not that good. I had been in ROTC for about 2 years and thought that may have been why I was not in Viet Nam. Guys younger than I were being called up near...

Andy, New Jersey, 1969. No. 311: History of Struggle

I took a deep breath and realized that I was home free.  I could quit school, travel the land and no longer worry about the draft.  I also realized that the lottery took the wind out of the sails of the anti-draft movement and co-opted so many who, in a...

Tom, Texas, 1969. No. 208: Volunteering Not An Option

I had a student exemption before the draft lottery. I remember being very concerned about no longer being "protected" by the student exemption and I considered my options. Getting a reasonably high enough number put an end to my concerns and tentative...

Ramon, Wisconsin, 1969. No. 354: Tenor of the Times

I was at the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1967, and unsure of a major. The Vietnam Conflict was escalating, thanks to President LBJ, and I was concerned, and more than a little frightened. I was 18, away from home, meeting new and exciting people. It...

Dennis, 1969. No. 324: Hello New Zealand, Bye-Bye America

I’ll never forget that number 324. The next year when the numbers they called for active duty got up to 90 pretty fast I started to worry, again.  324 saved me a fast trip to Canada from Detroit and then the plan was to go to New Zealand.  It was...