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Any Draftees here?

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Jackman
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Any Draftees here?

Postby Jackman » Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:16 pm

Just wondering if you might want to share a bit on what it was like to be drafted? I am 45 and know little about the Veitnam era draft , only actual memory I have was the local newspaper listing all the draft #'s in 1973. I recently was told that the draft was only for the Army and most draftees went to the 11B Infantry, is that true? How many years did the draftee have to serve? I am a God Bless America type and did my 3 year active duty Army with honor, however if I were drafted and given no choice on my MOS I am sure my attitude would have been much differant than it was.

I really tip my hat to you guys that were drafted and served it must have been a difficult time you.


Jackman

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Postby jim turner » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:16 pm

Jackman, I was drafted in 1963 and it is true most draftees went into the Army the quota was generally filled with volunteers for the Navy and Air Force, however I was given my choice in my MOS only because I scored very high on the profiency test. I do appreciate your kind words of Thanks however the real hero's are you guys that have volunteered and served to help keep su safe and enjoy the freedoms we have in this great country of ours. Thank you very much for serving
Jim Turner

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Re: Any Draftees here?

Postby Eugene » Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:29 pm

I was drafted in 1967, initially as a Combat Engineer. Two year active duty service for draftees then 4 years reserve/inactive duty was the standard requirement at the time.

Most individuals drafted went into the Army. However, all services could draft. - I assume all services did utilize draftees to some extent. The non ground combat services had no problem filling their quotas - people volunteered for them before they got drafted - to get out of the draft.

Individuals entering the services are/were given batteries of tests. Your scores and the need for the service(s) dictated which training (MOS) you received. Also, depending on your scores you had the opportunity to apply for additional training/schooling.

Eugene

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Postby ljw » Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:03 am

An interesting question. I was drafted in 1969, the year before the lottery. Twelve of us were bussed to Cincinnati to be sworn in. The first six men were drafted into the Marines. I was the seventh guy and thought that I would be in the marines, but the remaining six went to the Army. I was sent to Fort Dix, NJ for basic and AIT, being a radio operator. 05B. After completing that training, I was sent to Fort Gordon, GA to be a radio teletype operator. 05C I went to Vietnam for 1 year. Because I had less than 180 days left in a 2 year term, I was discharged from the Army after returning home. I was called an FNG when I first arrived in country. All you draftees remember DEROS same same ETS? Those that didn't train for as long a period had to extend their tour of duty until they had only <180 days remaining.
I, also, have the greatest respect for the young men and women that have the courage and determination to safeguard our country. Without them, and people like them, we wouldn't have this country. And Al Gore wouldn't have been able to invent the internet.

Larry
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Postby grumpy » Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:51 pm

I enlisted in the Navy 3 months before graduating high school in 1966 on the kiddie cruiser program (not drafted) and while in boot camp met quite a few guys that were drafted and ended up in the Navy. 8 years as an Equipment Operator and loved it. After Viet Nam (2 tours) it seemed they had too many SeaBees so had to cross rate to Machinery Repairman. Wonder why I hate subs!!! Retired in 1989 so I figure it was a good move. Dave
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Postby Cecil » Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:08 pm

I joined the Navy in 67 right out of college. 3 days before I left for boot camp I got my draft notice. In 67 there was no lottery, all were eligble. I will never forget the 4 years I spent in the service. The bad times were well outnumber by the good and I made many friends that I cherished.

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Postby Jackman » Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:26 pm

Thanks for the replys 8) , I knew this would get a good response here :D . The reason I asked this question is because the Draftees exsprience is seldom told or at least I have not heard much. When you guys got your notice was it a big shock to you and your family? How often did they draft, was it just once per year? Where you single or a Dad, did the draft just up and take you away from your family? ljw you were called an FNG, whats an FNG?

Thanks all for posting Jack

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Postby Rudi » Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:08 pm

Jack:

FNG - politely would be Friggin New Guy... :roll: :!: not neat at all...
Confusion breeds Discussion which breeds Knowledge which breeds Confidence which breeds Friendship


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Postby Eugene » Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:16 am

Jackman wrote:When you guys got your notice was it a big shock to you and your family? How often did they draft, was it just once per year? Where you single or a Dad, did the draft just up and take you away from your family?


Big shock. No. When you turned 18 years of age you registered for the draft and were give a draft card and number. It's been quite a while but the draft number indicated your year of birth (I think) followed by a dash then a number that indicated the order in which you registered at your local draft board. The draft numbers were announced providing you a pretty good idea of when your number would be called.

How often did they draft? Numbers were announced on a monthly basis. Your call up (indiction notice) gave you a date to report to the indiction center. These notices scheduled the induction throughout a given month.

Generally, individuals with a family (dependents) did not get called up. Once you registered with the local draft board you kept them informed of your employment, physical condition, educationl activities, etc. The local board could provide deferments for some items such as education and placed you in a catagory: 1,2,3,4 and a letter code. 1A put you at the top of the list and 4F put you at the bottom.

Upon arrival at the indiction center you were given a series of written tests and a physical. Individuals could be selected or rejected from service for a number of reasons. If you didn't show up at the induction center at the indicated time and date, the police came looking for you.

Call up/induction notices were provided by your local draft board. I wish I had kept my induction notice. It was worded rather strangely, something along the lines of "Congratulations John Smith, You have been selected by your friends and neighbors -"

Eugene

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Postby ljw » Wed Dec 06, 2006 11:46 am

Call up/induction notices were provided by your local draft board. I wish I had kept my induction notice. It was worded rather strangely, something along the lines of "Congratulations John Smith, You have been selected by your friends and neighbors -"


Didn't it start out by saying "Greetings!" In my case it was geetings from Mr. Nixon.
Larry
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Postby Little Indy » Wed Dec 06, 2006 12:22 pm

When I graduated from graduate school , I was told that the US Military drafted per year more graduates in my line of work than produced by all the schools in the USA. If I volunteered to the USN I would be made an officer. I decided being an officier in the USN was better than being an enlisted in the USA. I entered as a lieutentant and worked more hours than I had ever worked before. entered in 1972. My CO for the first three weeks was insane but my next CO was quite famous in the USN and was the best manager and leader I have ever meet. Did well and enjoyed being the Navy despite the long hours and difficult work. Left as an designated commander. I was called commander and had the duties of a commander but paid as a lieutentant commander. Being in the Navy taught me much about my line of work.

I always thought Vietnam was mismanaged by the higher ups than me. Sometimes practical experience is more important than book learning
Example: Marshall Zurchoff (sp?) started out as in Czarist army as a NCO and was taught by the Germans how to be an officier. Bet they regreted that.

Richard
Si hoc legere scis,nimium eruditionis habes.

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Postby Eugene » Wed Dec 06, 2006 6:38 pm

ljw wrote:Didn't it start out by saying "Greetings!" In my case it was geetings from Mr. Nixon. Larry

Larry. The induction notice could very well have started out saying "Greetings".

I hadn't though about that period in my life for a considerable length of time. It's been 39 1/2 years since my friends and neighbors volunteered me to serve my country.

I was deferred from the draft until I graduated from college. About 2 weeks after graduation I received the induction notice.

I owed about $4000- in US government college loans when I graduated. One nice thing about being inducted into the Army. A substantial portion of the government funded loan was forgiven for serving in the military. Then more of the loan was forgiven for teaching high school in a rural area. I don't recall the exact amount, but I think I only had to pay back $1000- or $1200-. It's probably a good thing part of the loan was forgiven. I was only making $67- a month when I entered the service.

Eugene

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Postby Jim Becker » Wed Dec 06, 2006 9:38 pm

Eugene wrote:
ljw wrote:Didn't it start out by saying "Greetings!" In my case it was geetings from Mr. Nixon. Larry

Larry. The induction notice could very well have started out saying "Greetings".

The common folklore was always that it started with "greetings". It actually started with the word "greeting" which seemed even more wierd. I still have mine around here somewhere, along with a giant file of all my draft stuff.

Think of all the negative comments you have heard over the years about the Army's, or any other government agency's way of doing things, the Selective Service System was worse. Some of it was congress, some the pentagon, some the local draft boards, but the result was a system of overloaded bureaucracy, ongoing changing of the rules and rampant unfairness.

In my county, once you were classified 1-A, you had maybe 2 months before you got shafted. May not have been quite true for those that went to 1-A on their 18th birthday as they did have some (continually changing) minimum draft ages. Didn't seem to happen that way in counties that had some bigger towns. When you got the notice in the mail, you knew what it was without opening it. Any other communication from the draft board was a single page, this envelope was fat with instructions and forms.

Full time studends that got drafted during the school year were usually given a report date that allowed them to finish the current semester.

I don't think Nixon signed my abduction notice but he did sign the thank you certificate at the other end.

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Postby Jackman » Wed Dec 06, 2006 10:09 pm

Greetings you have been selected by your friends and nieghbors :shock: :roll: , somebody at the draft board must have had a twisted sense of humor to word the draft notice like that. This is good reading here it gives me some insight to what the draft was like for the Draftee . You guys that were drafted have something extra to be proud of to enter the service in that manner while there was a war going had to be way more difficult than to enlist. My 3 year Army stint was a piece of cake I had a choice on every MOS , choice of duty station, choice of how many years to serve and on top of that it was peace time. Thanks for serving and thanks for sharing your draft exsperience.

Jack

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Postby ljw » Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:44 am

Jim wrote:
The common folklore was always that it started with "greetings". It actually started with the word "greeting" which seemed even more wierd.


You're absolutely correct. When I received the letter in the mail, I thought it was a typo. Because I had always heard it started with "greetings". It was something to laugh about until you received your own letter. :cry:

Larry
The majority of men live lives of quiet desperation- Henry David Thoreau


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