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May 19, 2023
The End of the Draft
50 Years Ago
By Gary L. Noller
Special to the Prophet
In the next few days, high schools across the country will hold graduation ceremonies for their seniors. Young men looking forward to the next step in their lives will not have to consider one prospect that was considered by their grandfathers. The United States ended compulsory military service 50 years ago.
I graduated high school in 1965. This was at the beginning of the American military build-up for the war in Vietnam. Three of my classmates immediately joined the Navy and two of them went to Vietnam as bulldozer operators. They helped construct the large U.S. Marine base at Chu Lai. It was probable that they would not have joined the Navy had there not been an ongoing draft.
The United States had always relied on compulsory service to fill its ranks. Government statistics show that 2.8 million men were drafted in World War I, 10.1 million in World War II, 1.5 million in the Korean War, and 1.9 million in the Vietnam War.
Major draft laws were enacted in 1940 as the United States prepared for war. The draft continued until the last draft inductees entered the service in 1973. Young men were drafted every year between 1940 and 1973 except for one year - 1947. That is the year I was born.
Many people do not realize that the draft continued in the period after the Korean War and before the Vietnam War. This is commonly known as the Cold War.
The draft even touched some of the rich and famous. Elvis Presley received his draft notice on Dec. 20, 1957. Elvis received training at Ft. Hood, Texas, and took up duties in a tank battalion in Germany.
There is an often quoted statistic that states that 25% of those who served in Vietnam were drafted while 66% of those who served in World War II entered as draftees. This is usually meant to indicate that those serving in the Vietnam War were more patriotic because more volunteered to serve during a time of war.
But the two times are not comparable. In December 1942, one year after the United States entered World War I, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9279. This order eliminated the opportunity for enlistees to join the military as their choice and put all males into the Selective Service System draft. This was not done during the Vietnam War.
It is estimated that 15 million draft eligible males received deferments in the years 1964-1973. I was one of them. I received a college deferment for four years. But after graduation from college my deferment ended. I was drafted four months later. No more draft dodging for me.
One effect of the Vietnam War draft was to push people towards an elective enlistment. This allowed the individual some choice in which military service to enter and what type training for a potential assignment.
Young men in my cohort made all sorts of choices. This included joining the active military, joining the reserves or National Guard, opting for conscientious objector status, obtaining employment in a deferred occupation, moving to Canada, and by showing a non-qualifying deficiency such as a medical condition.
A good example of choices made comes from my own home.
I have a twin brother. We both graduated college with bachelor's degrees in mathematics. He chose to join the Air Force and became a computer operator at an air base in Thailand. I chose to be drafted and received assignment as an infantryman in Vietnam. I could have done the same as he did but that was not my choice.
It was well known at the time that many of those drafted would serve in combat arms in the Vietnam War. Not many made the choice to enlist in infantry, artillery, armor, cavalry, and other combat occupations. The draft made up for this.
I really did not want to go to Vietnam and be in the infantry. I wanted to go on to graduate school and study computer science. But deferments for additional college study were not available. I had no desire to join anything to include the local National Guard. Had I done so I could probably have gone on with my education plans.
Several years ago, a young man recently hired by my employer asked me about my military service. He was awed by the fact that service was compulsory. He asked, “How could they make you do that? Did you do something wrong?”
No, I did not do anything wrong. I suppose, but do not know, that my action was some sort of resistance. It is along the line that, “If you want me, come and get me.” They did.
I took basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. On the second day there a group of draftees were marched to the recruiter and given one last chance to join the Army. The recruiter told me that my college education was a good qualification and I could probably choose a “good” occupation. He suggested helicopter pilot training. I declined. He ended the conversation by saying, “I hope you know you are going to Vietnam and you will serve in the infantry.” I did.
I have no regrets. But I would not want to serve twice in Vietnam. Once was enough.
My mother had three sons and all three of us served in the Vietnam War era. My twin brother served in the Air Force in Thailand, and my younger brother served in the Army in Germany and then Korea. I would not want either of them to go to Vietnam. I would go a second time. While that may seem to be noble on my part it really is not. I would go because I have previous experience. And I survived it.
Young men are still required to sign up for the draft. Even though no one has been drafted in 50 years, there is always the potential for this method to be used in the future. The military is straining to fill its ranks. What will happen if things begin to worsen?
I graduated high school in 1965. This was at the beginning of the American military build-up for the war in Vietnam. Three of my classmates immediately joined the Navy and two of them went to Vietnam as bulldozer operators. They helped construct the large U.S. Marine base at Chu Lai. It was probable that they would not have joined the Navy had there not been an ongoing draft.
The United States had always relied on compulsory service to fill its ranks. Government statistics show that 2.8 million men were drafted in World War I, 10.1 million in World War II, 1.5 million in the Korean War, and 1.9 million in the Vietnam War.
Major draft laws were enacted in 1940 as the United States prepared for war. The draft continued until the last draft inductees entered the service in 1973. Young men were drafted every year between 1940 and 1973 except for one year - 1947. That is the year I was born.
Many people do not realize that the draft continued in the period after the Korean War and before the Vietnam War. This is commonly known as the Cold War.
The draft even touched some of the rich and famous. Elvis Presley received his draft notice on Dec. 20, 1957. Elvis received training at Ft. Hood, Texas, and took up duties in a tank battalion in Germany.
There is an often quoted statistic that states that 25% of those who served in Vietnam were drafted while 66% of those who served in World War II entered as draftees. This is usually meant to indicate that those serving in the Vietnam War were more patriotic because more volunteered to serve during a time of war.
But the two times are not comparable. In December 1942, one year after the United States entered World War I, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9279. This order eliminated the opportunity for enlistees to join the military as their choice and put all males into the Selective Service System draft. This was not done during the Vietnam War.
It is estimated that 15 million draft eligible males received deferments in the years 1964-1973. I was one of them. I received a college deferment for four years. But after graduation from college my deferment ended. I was drafted four months later. No more draft dodging for me.
One effect of the Vietnam War draft was to push people towards an elective enlistment. This allowed the individual some choice in which military service to enter and what type training for a potential assignment.
Young men in my cohort made all sorts of choices. This included joining the active military, joining the reserves or National Guard, opting for conscientious objector status, obtaining employment in a deferred occupation, moving to Canada, and by showing a non-qualifying deficiency such as a medical condition.
A good example of choices made comes from my own home.
I have a twin brother. We both graduated college with bachelor's degrees in mathematics. He chose to join the Air Force and became a computer operator at an air base in Thailand. I chose to be drafted and received assignment as an infantryman in Vietnam. I could have done the same as he did but that was not my choice.
It was well known at the time that many of those drafted would serve in combat arms in the Vietnam War. Not many made the choice to enlist in infantry, artillery, armor, cavalry, and other combat occupations. The draft made up for this.
I really did not want to go to Vietnam and be in the infantry. I wanted to go on to graduate school and study computer science. But deferments for additional college study were not available. I had no desire to join anything to include the local National Guard. Had I done so I could probably have gone on with my education plans.
Several years ago, a young man recently hired by my employer asked me about my military service. He was awed by the fact that service was compulsory. He asked, “How could they make you do that? Did you do something wrong?”
No, I did not do anything wrong. I suppose, but do not know, that my action was some sort of resistance. It is along the line that, “If you want me, come and get me.” They did.
I took basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. On the second day there a group of draftees were marched to the recruiter and given one last chance to join the Army. The recruiter told me that my college education was a good qualification and I could probably choose a “good” occupation. He suggested helicopter pilot training. I declined. He ended the conversation by saying, “I hope you know you are going to Vietnam and you will serve in the infantry.” I did.
I have no regrets. But I would not want to serve twice in Vietnam. Once was enough.
My mother had three sons and all three of us served in the Vietnam War era. My twin brother served in the Air Force in Thailand, and my younger brother served in the Army in Germany and then Korea. I would not want either of them to go to Vietnam. I would go a second time. While that may seem to be noble on my part it really is not. I would go because I have previous experience. And I survived it.
Young men are still required to sign up for the draft. Even though no one has been drafted in 50 years, there is always the potential for this method to be used in the future. The military is straining to fill its ranks. What will happen if things begin to worsen?