Misc Hypothetical: You and the Vietnam Draft - Page 6

**Rain Man** · 06-14-2016, 10:28 PM

Fairplay and I had a conversation about this a while back. If you were 20 years old when the Vietnam draft lottery was started, what would have been your fate? Walk through the process and tell me if you would've been drafted.

(If you actually went through this process and I'm missing anything, correct me.)

Step 1. Do you get the letter telling you that you've been drafted?

They drew birthdays out of a hat, and you got drafted in the order in which your birthday was drawn. Look up your birthday here. According to the Selective Service website https://www.sss.gov/About/History-And-Records/lotter1, you got a draft letter if your number was 195 or lower.

Spoiler!

Next, you showed up and got classified. Enclosed here are the classifications. The numbers are a little bit apples and oranges, but as far as I can tell, you had about a 1 in 6 chance of ending up in uniform if your draft number got called. Most people apparently got a classification that exempted them from service.

Here are the classifications.

Spoiler!

So would you have ended up in uniform?

As for me, I would've not even been close. My birthday drew Draft Number 363, so I wouldn't have even come into question. Even if I had been drafted, at age 20 I would've had a college student deferment and been a 1S. War? What war?

**Rain Man** · 06-15-2016, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepPurple

(Cool story)

So did you do ATC for helicopters in Korea, or did you switch from helicopters to ATC and then got reassigned to helicopters?

You may have run across my father in law in Alabama. He was a helicopter pilot in Fort Rucker in the late 60s, but I don't know when he left.

**PHOG** · 06-15-2016, 07:21 PM

186 I guess I would have been Infantry

oldman · 06-16-2016, 05:44 AM

I can still remember sitting in the common room of the dorm watching the lottery. There was 1 guy that drew #1. It was like an arrow went through his heart. About the time they hit 250, there were only 4 of us left. The rest had gone to the local watering hole to drown their sorrows.
BTW, the deal about the only son was that you could be drafted, but not sent to a combat zone. Everyone I knew that fell into that bucket did their time in Germany.

**ChiTown** · 06-16-2016, 07:20 AM

My Number would have been 135. I could have declared 1-S at age 20, as I was in College. However, it would have been expected in my Family to serve, which I would have done.

ct · 06-16-2016, 10:56 AM

253, 1S

What is implied with the * by the birthdates?

**Rain Man** · 06-16-2016, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ct

253, 1S

What is implied with the * by the birthdates?

It seems like the * just shows up sometimes when you cut and paste. I've never figured it out, unless it has something to do with the Broncos' Super Bowl trophies and salary cap cheating.

**Donger** · 06-16-2016, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldman

There was 1 guy that drew #1.

What happened to him?

ct · 06-16-2016, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rain Man

It seems like they * just shows up sometimes when you cut and paste. I've never figured it out, unless it has something to do with the Broncos' Super Bowl trophies and salary cap cheating.

ah yes, the "vasoline guy" status, roger that, i'm staying clear of that guy

nttiawwt

**Rain Man** · 06-16-2016, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldman

I can still remember sitting in the common room of the dorm watching the lottery. There was 1 guy that drew #1. It was like an arrow went through his heart. About the time they hit 250, there were only 4 of us left. The rest had gone to the local watering hole to drown their sorrows.
BTW, the deal about the only son was that you could be drafted, but not sent to a combat zone. Everyone I knew that fell into that bucket did their time in Germany.

I wonder if anyone ended up getting killed in combat because his mother and father had an "accident" 18 years later right as he hit draft age. And even if he didn't get killed, would he give the much younger sibling noogies later in life because the new kid got him sent to a war zone?

BWillie · 06-16-2016, 12:35 PM

Nobody should ever be forced to go to another country to shoot another man in the face. It should only be a choice to serve, or not.

Dayze · 06-16-2016, 12:39 PM

If I went back in time to that era and was drafted, but still possessed my current brain and experiences, I wouldve told the government to get ****ed.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

oldman · 06-16-2016, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donger

What happened to him?

I don't know. He was from Ohio, so I guess he went back there and got drunk. He was flunking out anyway.

Fairplay · 06-16-2016, 01:12 PM

What terrible times to be a man of age stressing over the draft from year to year praying that you won't have to go to that awful excuse for a war Vietnam.

A war I think that went on year after year for the military hardware stockholders and the politicians that backed them as well.
I could understand men signing up for WW11 but not this war no way.

Randallflagg · 06-16-2016, 01:14 PM

I joined and fought in Viet Nam. I chose 11B and was damned glad I did.

Randallflagg · 06-16-2016, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fairplay

What terrible times to be a man of age stressing over the draft from year to year praying that you won't have to go to that awful excuse for a war Vietnam.

A war I think that went on year after year for the military hardware stockholders and the politicians that backed them as well.
I could understand men signing up for WW11 but not this war no way.

I suppose that I can understand how you feel, but you are missing the point. EVERY war that has EVER been fought, companies and people profited from them. Politicians' kids RARELY ever fight in them and it's 90% of the middle-lower class folks that fight them. It is just the way that it is. My Father was an Air Force Officer who flew combat missions there (at least till he retired). MY Brother joined the Marines, did two tours and eventually retired as a Master Gunnery Sergeant. Service in the Military goes way back in my family.

It was just a thing that was just expected of me, a young guy, fresh out of High School. On the plus side, Uncle Sam paid for my College Education, guaranteed a home Mortgage, and helped me start a career. My Son served in the Navy as a WEAPS on a missile cruiser and my Daughter served as a JAG officer. See, runs in the family.

06-14-2016, 10:28 PM
Rain Man NFL's #1 Ermines Fan Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: My house Casino cash: $3008491 VARSITY	Hypothetical: You and the Vietnam Draft Fairplay and I had a conversation about this a while back. If you were 20 years old when the Vietnam draft lottery was started, what would have been your fate? Walk through the process and tell me if you would've been drafted. (If you actually went through this process and I'm missing anything, correct me.) Step 1. Do you get the letter telling you that you've been drafted? They drew birthdays out of a hat, and you got drafted in the order in which your birthday was drawn. Look up your birthday here. According to the Selective Service website https://www.sss.gov/About/History-And-Records/lotter1, you got a draft letter if your number was 195 or lower. Spoiler! Sep 14 1 Apr 24 2 Dec 30 3 Feb 14 4 Oct 18 5 Sep 6* 6 Oct 26 7 Sep 7* 8 Nov 22 9 Dec 6* 10 Aug 31 11 Dec 7* 12 Jul 8* 13 Apr 11 14 Jul 12 15 Dec 29 16 Jan 15 17 Sep 26 18 Nov 1* 19 Jun 4* 20 Aug 10 21 Jun 26 22 Jul 24 23 Oct 5* 24 Feb 19 25 Dec 14 26 Jul 21 27 Jun 5* 28 Mar 2* 29 Mar 31 30 May 24 31 Apr 1* 32 Mar 17 33 Nov 2* 34 May 7* 35 Aug 24 36 May 11 37 Oct 30 38 Dec 11 39 May 3* 40 Dec 10 41 Jul 13 42 Dec 9* 43 Aug 16 44 Aug 2* 45 Nov 11 46 Nov 27 47 Aug 8* 48 Sep 3* 49 Jul 7* 50 Nov 7* 51 Jan 25 52 Dec 22 53 Aug 5* 54 May 16 55 Dec 5* 56 Feb 23 57 Jan 19 58 Jan 24 59 Jun 21 60 Aug 29 61 Apr 21 62 Sep 20 63 Jun 27 64 May 10 65 Nov 12 66 Jul 25 67 Feb 12 68 Jun 13 69 Dec 21 70 Sep 10 71 Oct 12 72 Jun 17 73 Apr 27 74 May 19 75 Nov 6* 76 Jan 28 77 Dec 27 78 Oct 31 79 Nov 9* 80 Apr 4* 81 Sep 5* 82 Apr 3* 83 Dec 25 84 Jun 7* 85 Feb 1* 86 Oct 6* 87 Jul 28 88 Feb 15 89 Apr 18 90 Feb 7* 91 Jan 26 92 Jul 1* 93 Oct 28 94 Dec 24 95 Dec 16 96 Nov 8* 97 Jul 17 98 Nov 29 99 Dec 31 100 Jan 5* 101 Aug 15 102 May 30 103 Jun 19 104 Dec 8* 105 Aug 9* 106 Nov 16 107 Mar 1* 108 Jun 23 109 Jun 6* 110 Aug 1* 111 May 17 112 Sep 15 113 Aug 6* 114 Jul 3* 115 Aug 23 116 Oct 22 117 Jan 23 118 Sep 23 119 Jul 16 120 Jan 16 121 Mar 7* 122 Dec 28 123 Apr 13 124 Oct 2* 125 Nov 13 126 Nov 14 127 Dec 18 128 Dec 1* 129 May 15 130 Nov 15 131 Nov 25 132 May 12 133 Jun 11 134 Dec 20 135 Mar 11 136 Jun 25 137 Oct 13 138 Mar 6* 139 Jan 18 140 Aug 18 141 Aug 12 142 Nov 17 143 Feb 2* 144 Aug 4* 145 Nov 18 146 Apr 7* 147 Apr 16 148 Sep 25 149 Feb 11 150 Sep 29 151 Feb 13 152 Jul 22 153 Aug 17 154 May 6* 155 Nov 21 156 Dec 3* 157 Sep 11 158 Jan 2* 159 Sep 22 160 Sep 2* 161 Dec 23 162 Dec 13 163 Jan 30 164 Dec 4* 165 Mar 16 166 Aug 28 167 Aug 7* 168 Mar 15 169 Mar 26 170 Oct 15 171 Jul 23 172 Dec 26 173 Nov 30 174 Sep 13 175 Oct 25 176 Sep 19 177 May 14 178 Feb 25 179 Jun 15 180 Feb 8* 181 Nov 23 182 May 20 183 Sep 8* 184 Nov 20 185 Jan 21 186 Jul 20 187 Jul 5* 188 Feb 17 189 Jul 18 190 Apr 29 191 Oct 20 192 Jul 31 193 Jan 9* 194 Sep 24 195 Oct 24 196 May 9* 197 Aug 14 198 Jan 8* 199 Mar 19 200 Oct 23 201 Oct 4* 202 Nov 19 203 Sep 21 204 Feb 27 205 Jun 10 206 Sep 16 207 Apr 30 208 Jun 30 209 Feb 4* 210 Jan 31 211 Feb 16 212 Mar 8* 213 Feb 5* 214 Jan 4* 215 Feb 10 216 Mar 30 217 Apr 10 218 Apr 9* 219 Oct 10 220 Jan 12 221 Jun 28 222 Mar 28 223 Jan 6* 224 Sep 1* 225 May 29 226 Jul 19 227 Jun 2* 228 Oct 29 229 Nov 24 230 Apr 14 231 Sep 4* 232 Sep 27 233 Oct 7* 234 Jan 17 235 Feb 24 236 Oct 11 237 Jan 14 238 Mar 20 239 Dec 19 240 Oct 19 241 Sep 12 242 Oct 21 243 Oct 3* 244 Aug 26 245 Sep 18 246 Jun 22 247 Jul 11 248 Jun 1* 249 May 21 250 Jan 3* 251 Apr 23 252 Apr 6* 253 Oct 16 254 Sep 17 255 Mar 23 256 Sep 28 257 Mar 24 258 Mar 13 259 Apr 17 260 Aug 3* 261 Apr 28 262 Sep 9* 263 Oct 27 264 Mar 22 265 Nov 4* 266 Mar 3* 267 Mar 27 268 Apr 5* 269 Jul 29 270 Apr 2* 271 Jun 12 272 Apr 15 273 Jun 16 274 Mar 4* 275 May 4* 276 Jul 9* 277 May 18 278 Jul 4* 279 Jan 20 280 Nov 28 281 Nov 10 282 Oct 8* 283 Jul 10 284 Feb 29 285 Aug 25 286 Jul 30 287 Oct 17 288 Jul 27 289 Feb 22 290 Aug 21 291 Feb 18 292 Mar 5* 293 Oct 14 294 May 13 295 May 27 296 Feb 3* 297 May 2* 298 Feb 28 299 Mar 12 300 Jun 3* 301 Feb 20 302 Jul 26 303 Dec 17 304 Jan 1* 305 Jan 7* 306 Aug 13 307 May 28 308 Nov 26 309 Nov 5* 310 Aug 19 311 Apr 8* 312 May 31 313 Dec 12 314 Sep 30 315 Apr 22 316 Mar 9* 317 Jan 13 318 May 23 319 Dec 15 320 May 8* 321 Jul 15 322 Mar 10 323 Aug 11 324 Jan 10 325 May 22 326 Jul 6* 327 Dec 2* 328 Jan 11 329 May 1* 330 Jul 14 331 Mar 18 332 Aug 30 333 Mar 21 334 Jun 9* 335 Apr 19 336 Jan 22 337 Feb 9* 338 Aug 22 339 Apr 26 340 Jun 18 341 Oct 9* 342 Mar 25 343 Aug 20 344 Apr 20 345 Apr 12 346 Feb 6* 347 Nov 3* 348 Jan 29 349 Jul 2* 350 Apr 25 351 Aug 27 352 Jun 29 353 Mar 14 354 Jan 27 355 Jun 14 356 May 26 357 Jun 24 358 Oct 1* 359 Jun 20 360 May 25 361 Mar 29 362 Feb 21 363 May 5* 364 Feb 26 365 Jun 8* 366 Next, you showed up and got classified. Enclosed here are the classifications. The numbers are a little bit apples and oranges, but as far as I can tell, you had about a 1 in 6 chance of ending up in uniform if your draft number got called. Most people apparently got a classification that exempted them from service. Here are the classifications. Spoiler! 1-A - Available for military service. 1-AM - Medical specialist available for military service. 1-A-O - Conscientious Objector - Conscientiously opposed to training and military service requiring the use of arms - fulfills his service obligation in a noncombatant position within the military. Those classified 1-A-O are conscientious objectors available for noncombatant military service. 1-A-OM - Medical specialist conscientious objector available for noncombatant military service. 1-C - Member of the Armed Forces of the United States, the Coast and Geodetic Survey, or the Public Health Service. (Enl) - enlisted; (Ind) - inducted; (Dis) - discharged 1-D - Member of a Reserve component or student taking military training. 1-H - Registrant not currently subject to processing for induction or alternative service. Note: Within the cessation of registrant processing in 1976, all registrants (except for a few alleged violators of the Military Selective Service Act) were classified 1-H regardless of any previous classification. 1-O - Conscientious objector available for civilian work contributing to the national health, safety or interest. 1-OM - Medical specialist conscientious objector available for civilian work contributing to the national health, safety or interest. 1-S - Student deferred by statue - (H) high school; (C) college. 1-W - Conscientious objector performing civilian work in the national health, safety or interest. (Rel) - Released. 1-Y - Registrant qualified for service only in time of war or national emergency. Note: The 1-Y classification was abolished December 10, 1971. Local boards were subsequently instructed to reclassify all 1-Y registrants by administrative action. 2-A - Registrant deferred because of civilian occupation (except agriculture). 2-AM - Medical specialist deferred because of critical community need involving patient care. 2-C - Registrant deferred because of agricultural occupation. 2-D - Ministerial Students - Deferred from military service. 2-M - Registrant deferred for medical study. 2-S - Registrant deferred because of activity in study. 3-A - Hardship Deferment - Deferred from military service because service would cause hardship upon his family. 4-A - Registrant who has completed service; or sole surviving son. 4-B - Official deferred by law. 4-C - Alien or Dual National - Sometimes exempt from military service. 4-D - Ministers of Religion - Exempted from military service. 4-E - Conscientious objector opposed to both combatant and noncombatant training and service. 4-F - Registrant not qualified for military service. (Current physical causes of being classified as a 4f are found here, beginning with Section 2.3 on page 4 - http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r40_501.pdf 4-FM - Medical specialist not qualified for military service. 4-G - Sole surviving son. (Parent or sibling killed in the military) 4-W - Conscientious objector who has completed civilian alternate service. 5-A - Registrant over the age of liability for military service. So would you have ended up in uniform? As for me, I would've not even been close. My birthday drew Draft Number 363, so I wouldn't have even come into question. Even if I had been drafted, at age 20 I would've had a college student deferment and been a 1S. War? What war?
Posts: 141,685

06-15-2016, 07:21 PM	#77
PHOG Dazed and Confused Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Somewhere Out There Casino cash: $1730500	186 I guess I would have been Infantry
Posts: 15,666

06-16-2016, 05:44 AM	#78
oldman Curmudgeon Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: North by Northwest Casino cash: $5836784	I can still remember sitting in the common room of the dorm watching the lottery. There was 1 guy that drew #1. It was like an arrow went through his heart. About the time they hit 250, there were only 4 of us left. The rest had gone to the local watering hole to drown their sorrows. BTW, the deal about the only son was that you could be drafted, but not sent to a combat zone. Everyone I knew that fell into that bucket did their time in Germany.
Posts: 5,319

06-16-2016, 07:20 AM	#79
ChiTown Stroking to the SB Champs! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Flatlands of Kansas Casino cash: $2983962	My Number would have been 135. I could have declared 1-S at age 20, as I was in College. However, it would have been expected in my Family to serve, which I would have done. __________________
Posts: 39,367

06-16-2016, 10:56 AM	#80
ct u b illian Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: DooDah Casino cash: $10009436	253, 1S What is implied with the * by the birthdates?
Posts: 7,287

06-16-2016, 12:35 PM	#85
BWillie El Gato Gordo Loco Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Earth Casino cash: $2121241	Nobody should ever be forced to go to another country to shoot another man in the face. It should only be a choice to serve, or not. __________________ Who wants free money? Use the link below to sign up at Bovada, BetOnline, Black Chip Poker and Ignition. Contact me for private deals, spot bonuses, possible rakeback or any questions! Bovada, Ignition, BetOnline, Black Chip Poker: baldeaglepoker.com Bovada Poker is back! Get up to $500 poker deposit bonus.
Posts: 46,336

06-16-2016, 12:39 PM	#86
Dayze Resident Glue Sniffer Join Date: Nov 2003 Casino cash: $4919358	If I went back in time to that era and was drafted, but still possessed my current brain and experiences, I wouldve told the government to get **ed. Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk __________________ Life is 99% inspiration, 1% Perspiration, and 1% Attention to Detial. RIP & Godspeed:** Saccoppo Lonewolf Ed Fire Me Boy
Posts: 37,377

06-16-2016, 01:12 PM	#88
Fairplay A certain set of skills Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: texas Casino cash: $10026683 VARSITY	What terrible times to be a man of age stressing over the draft from year to year praying that you won't have to go to that awful excuse for a war Vietnam. A war I think that went on year after year for the military hardware stockholders and the politicians that backed them as well. I could understand men signing up for WW11 but not this war no way.
Posts: 25,265

06-16-2016, 01:14 PM	#89
Randallflagg MVP Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Olathe Casino cash: $9987156	I joined and fought in Viet Nam. I chose 11B and was damned glad I did.
Posts: 9,578