It is so nice to be a “winner”!
When I joined the Air Force I was 17. At age 18 you had to sign up with the Selective Service board, which I did not know or do. I received a Hardship Discharge when I was 19, to support my mother who was very ill, and my younger brother. When my mother recovered and my brother had graduated from High School, I lost my job. I decided to return to the Air Force and received the tech school I wanted.
At age 21, the day before I returned to the Air Force, I received my draft notice (October 14, 1963, to report to the Army and be a ground pounder. The Air Force recruiter said not to worry and took care of that as I had completed all the paperwork to report to Biloxi, Mississippi. Imagine a recruiter keeping his word? :)
After serving a four-year enlistment I was discharged in October 1967. I received a nasty letter from the Selective Service – I had never signed up! I was threatened with imprisonment for failing to sign up for the Selective Service!
Question: How did I receive a draft notice when I was 21? They could not answer that one! Trying to reason with the Selective Service was impossible. Then they gave me my Selective Service card. I was classified 5A – no military obligation! It seems I had a six year obligation and what had happened was this.
I served 20 months and nine days on active duty on my first enlistment. You have to serve at least 24 months active duty to not be drafted! From February 1960 to October 1967 was more than six years. I got credit for being in the Inactive Reserve while I was between enlistments. The Selective Service decided to leave me alone.
I met many individuals who were working on their PhD’s between 1967 and 1975. Educational deferment. Others took off for Canada, Spain – you name it. Carter forgave those who skipped and I am glad he did!
I was having a coffee break a few years ago with a group of guys I worked with and each of us were Vietnam vets. One guy was a Navy Medic – helicopter – very nasty experiences, and such a mellow human being! We were saying what would happen if we were drafted again.
The Sergeant says, “Take that hill boys”! And we replied, F*** YOU SARGE!
When you are 17 you react differently. :)
I met a Marine who had five 1 year tours in Vietnam. He had a problem as a civilian.
>Heh heh. See
http://www.landscaper.net/draft.htm and take a wild guess as to my birthday...
>
>>Heavens! For a long time I have been saying that the reason that we have such high unemployment in this country is so people will stand in line to join the military! People will do funny things when they are starving and attempting to survive. .
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>>Watch out world, here comes the Unites States! Send out the homeless, the unemployed and socially unacceptable. We will conquer all and bring peace (through war) and democracy to all!
>>
>>I think I hear someone knocking at the door...
