SwiftVets.com

[jdmcg]

I can't seem to find this information online, so I guess I'll ask here. When exactly was the draft enabled for the Vietnam War, how long did it last, and who was allowed not to have to fulfill their drafted status if they were. Can you point me to some good resources on it?
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** 9 out of 10 terrorists agree. John F'n Kerry for President **
Moore-onheit 101 - Linking to the truth that burns Moore

[JN173]

[ASPB]

[JN173]

I remember getting my 5A classification when I was 23 and according to the news everyone else was buring their card.

5A was "too old".
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A Grunt
2/503 173rd Airborne Brigade
RVN '65-'66

[Snipe]

I enlisted in the Navy and raised my hand 6 days after turning 17, so
I never had a draft card. As I recall, the Army used the draft while
the Navy, Marines, and Air Force didn't need to draft because they met
all their requirements through voluntary enlistment. Except that the
Marines did use the draft for a very brief time - probably not more than
6 months or so. This is just off the top of my head with no reference
other than years of reading Navy Times. 15 Nov 58 - 31 Oct 81.
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Tin Can Sailor

[Big Kahuna]

Actually I recall the draft endinging in 1974 -- and draft registration for 18-year-old men was put in place. They had to go to the Post Office to register (in case there was a draft again) within so many days after their 18th birthday.

I think that coincides with the two different GI Bill plans of before and after August 1974.
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Top 10 Weasels.com is where Kerry is Weasel #1

[DougReese]

There were quite a few ways to avoid the draft, but I don't remember all of them. Staying in school was one, and I seem to recall that teachers were exempt -- is that correct?

And if you were married with children -- another exemption? I remember a neighbor of ours who was drafted -- a doctor who was married with a couple of children. He was about 28-30 years old, but was drafted because they needed doctors. I remember being told it was unusual, but don't recall if it was because of his age (wasn't there an age limit?), or the fact that he was married with children.

Doug

[garb1015]

The draft was around long before the Viet Nam War and ended in late '69 or shortly thereafter. Some of my older cousins were drafted in the late fifties as was Elvis.
Shortly after your 18th birthday you received a letter telling you to report for your physical and classification. If you passed the physical you were 1A which meant eligible to be called at any time.
If you were married your status was 1Y or if you had two kids, 3Y. The status of a student was S. You were required to stay in college and pass all of your classes or the school would notify the draft board and you would be returned to 1A status.
Also, if your marriage was just to beat the draft and you left your wife, she could report you to the draft board.
The draft age was 18 to 35.

[garb1015]

I should add that when I say the draft ended in late '69, it actually went to a lottery system based on your date of birth. You were issued a number and the losing numbers were posted in the newspaper. I was in basic training from August to October '69 and I remember guys looking at the first listing of numbers in the paper. The lottery system ended sometime in the early seventies.

[djv]

My 18th birthday was in 1970. I recieved a draft number around 43. I got a student deferment 1S. That was my freshman year in college. At the start of the Sophmore year, all student deferment were cancelled. My status was changed to 1Y which said if they needed you you went. So I joined Army ROTC. I was able to use my high school ROTC to get credit for freshman ROTC. By the time I had to commit to 2 years, the war was over.

Here is a site about the draft.
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David J V

[coldwarvet]