Tim, North Carolina. Well-Educated Reserves

My story is perhaps a little different, as I was a USMC Reserve Recruiter for central NC 1965 thru 1967.  I enlisted in the Marines in 1963, pre-Vietnam, and re-enlisted in 1965 when Johnson extended all of us when he landed the Marines at Da Nang. I put in for...

Steve, Virginia, 1969. No. 005: Winning The Pool

The draft stories rang a bell for me. As Pi Kap social chairman in December 1969, I had the bright idea for us to put up $10 apiece to watch the lottery in the tube room. Half the money bought a keg of beer and the other half was designated for the low number. Who...

Dave, California, 1969. No. 028: Halftime Show

I had a student deferment at Duke University when the first draft lottery took place.  It was held at 8 pm the night of a Duke home basketball game.  The administration moved up the start of the game such that the lottery occurred during the half-time,...

Steve, Maryland, 1970, No. 43: High Arches

Number 43!  THAT was terrible news.  And I was stunned.  What would I do?  At the time I was an anti-Vietnam War organizer, a protestor who had been jailed.  I had a strong commitment which since then, thankfully, has never wavered, even...

Berg, NC, 1969. No. 197: Minesweeping No, Teaching Yes.

I was sitting pretty in March 1969. Had a full scholarship offer to Oceanographic School at FSU after I finished at Duke. My planned marriage in June would give me a draft deferment. Then the bottom fell out: no more marriage deferments, or grad school either.My dad...

Parks, NC, 1969. No. 70: Three Year Sabbatical

In my senior year at Duke I drew No. 70. So I chose to join the NC National Guard (6 year enlistment).  I was told to be ready to go to basic training in January, 1970.  Duke would not refund tuition for this voluntary obligation that took me out of school,...