Interesting story Ken, but I can top your Marine story...I graduated from Syracuse in 1966 before the lottery...got a job at NYS DOT working on LBJ's Interstate Defense highways. DOT put in for a deferment for me before I got my draft notice...draft notice came...July of 1967. The first time since WWII the Marines drafted from selective service...I was given the choice of enlisting instead. Didn't want to be a Marine so I joined the Navy...was in bootcamp when my mother forwareded me a letter from DOT. She hadn't opened it. It was a dark day in Mudville, Great Lakes at mail call...My deferment was granted! And no #13's to pin it on either....that isn't all...I was guaranteed an A School in Avaition by my LTCmD recruiting officer...had a little paper contract and all...went to classification after boot and they told me that I was going to be a Medic!!! [B)] A damn marine without a gun!!! Fortunately I pulled out my little paper guaranteeing me an A Class Navy school in Aviation and said I would write Jacob Javits if they didn't honor the enlistment contract...and I guess I was lucky to get a not too obtuse 1st Class bosun' who was in charge of the classification office who gambled that it would be trouble for him and with great anger and contempt, he said, "We just happen to have one seat left in Aviation Storekeeper School...so I went to Memphis for training and then my squadron and three different ships. I was lucky. I had my degree but the problem was there were so many men coming out of college from Naval ROTC and the Platoon Leader program (for Marines) because of the high draft in those late months leading up to TET, that they were only taking anyone from the enlisted services for OCS who had a masters degree...which left me out. The fleet wasn't so bad...I was halfway through a four year hitch when the CO of my squadron offered me a shoe-in to OCS...had to re-up for four more years....turned him down...was he pissed.
What a time that was but I wouldn't trade my years at sea and my adventure in the navy for anything.
Sorry about the navy and marine military time/clock joke Ken...but us squids never liked that taxicab business. Even your BAMs (Broad A**-ed Marines) would razz us...I once asked one for date and she looked at me and said very seriously..."Squids are for Kids!" And then, "I only date Grunts." [:D] True story, not a Sea Story...and any one out there who doesn't know what a Sea Story is...write me and I will tell you.
Yes sir...at 63, I'd go back and do it all over again.
Thanks for serving...all you guys...before and those serving now.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="3" face="book antiqua" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by krmiller</i>
<br />Gen Kunz,
I've finally found someone who beat me in the lottery. I was part of the first one, class of '69. I drew #13, wasn't I lucky ?
I had a 2S deferment in 69 and 70, lost my scholarship due to poor grades. Living at home and commuting to school every day I was unable to juggle school, work and a social life at that age. When the draft board didn't receive a notice that I was still in school in the fall of '70 they contacted me to find out why and said I would be hearing from them. I enlisted the next day on the delay program to give my boss time to find a replacement for me. Four weeks later I got my first airplane ride on my way to Parris Island.
About six weeks into boot camp I got a letter from my mother saying she had received my draft notice and that I was to report to the federal building for induction the following day. I hadn't had a good laugh in 6 weeks and I couldn't help it and started laughing. Needless to say this set the DI off and he yelled my name and ordered me front and center. I ran up to his desk and he gave me the usual hard time, why was I laughing, did I find his Marine Corps funny etc. I told him I had to go home, I'd been drafted and had to report to the federal building in Pittsburgh tomorrow morning. Even he smiled at that one before growling at me to get back to my bunk.
Best part is this wasn't as bad as what happened to another guy I ran into later. He had been in the corps about 16 months and had been in Vietnam for 6 months when he got his draft notice. Needless to say they didn't let him go home either.
Gen. Ken Miller
1/2/VI
AoS
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