Charlie, California, 1969. No. 50: Months Away From War

I was at UCLA, on a Navy ROTC scholarship. Since I was already headed to the military, my lottery number held no significance to me.  When it came up 50, I remember thinking, well, it’s a good thing I’ll get to go into the military on my terms and as...

Ben, Utah, 1972. No. 158: Stephen King Death Roulette Wheel

I turned 18 in November of 1971. I was a long-haired pot-smoking hippie  in my first semester of college. I was totally against the war. There was no college deferment at the time (nor should there have been in my opinion). I remember feeling existentially...

Ken, California, 1969. No. 196: Becoming Religious

The only lottery I have ever won, was the one I lost in 1969.  I can remember receiving my lottery number 196 and really not knowing whether this was going to be good or bad.  Well, by September I didn’t like the prospects.I went to the local...

Bill, California, 1969. No. 161: Change of Plans

I had already been drafted before the lottery, in 1968.  I was in grad school but deferments for grad school had been eliminated.  The lottery put a lot more sanity into people’s lives by removing some of the uncertainty. (I gave up on going to...

Stephen, California, 1969. No 91: Waiting Them Out

I was a third year undergraduate at UCLA when the first lottery was held. I received No. 91 which was considered a low number at the time, and with it, an almost certainty of being drafted once my 4 year student exemption expired in June of 1971. I lived on...