What were the chances of being drafted in Vietnam?
Myth: Common belief is that most Vietnam veterans were drafted. Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. Approximately 70% of those killed in Vietnam were volunteers.
Were all soldiers drafted in the Vietnam War?
The majority of those who served during the Vietnam War were volunteers – not draftees – even though our public recollection often tells us just the opposite. Public backlash from draft-eligible men is a primary reason cited by many as to why public sentiment turned against the war effort.
Who was eligible for Vietnam draft?
Before the lottery was implemented in the latter part of the Vietnam conflict, there was no system in place to determine order of call besides the fact that men between the ages of 18 and 26 were vulnerable to being drafted. Local boards called men classified 1-A, 18-1/2 through 25 years old, oldest first.
Was the Vietnam draft compulsory?
Conscription during the 1960s took place under the legal authority of the peacetime draft, because the United States never formally declared war on North Vietnam.
What are my odds of being drafted?
There are 1,093,234 high school football players in the United States, and 6.5% of those high school players (or 71,060) will play in college. The drop off from college to the pros is even more dramatic: only 1.2% college-level players will get drafted to the NFL.
How long was the average tour of duty in Vietnam?
‘ During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Army used a personnel rotation policy that at first blush defies military logic. The Army rotated soldiers through Vietnam on one-year tours. Officers also spent a year in country, but only six of those months were in a troop command.
How were soldiers recruited for the Vietnam War?
On December 1, 1969, the Selective Service System of the United States conducted two lotteries to determine the order of call to military service in the Vietnam War for men born from January 1, 1944 to December 31, 1950. … It was the first time a lottery system had been used to select men for military service since 1942.
What exempts you from being drafted?
Veterans, generally exempt from service in peacetime draft. Immigrants and dual nationals in some cases may be exempt from U.S. military service depending upon their place of residence and country of citizenship.
What birthdays were called for the Vietnam draft?
A lottery drawing – the first since 1942 – was held on December 1, 1969, at Selective Service National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. This event determined the order of call for induction during calendar year 1970; that is, for registrants born between January 1, 1944, and December 31, 1950.
How did they draft for Vietnam?
As the war went on, selective service requirements, deferments and exemptions changed in an effort to make the draft appear more fair. One of those changes was the institution of a draft lottery, which gave young men a random number between 1 and 366 corresponding to their birthdays. Lower numbers were called first.