Vietnam era...volunteer or draftee?

[bogus bill]

I tried to enlist in the AF, was sent home for to high of BP and overweight. I was disgraced. Went to the army recruiter and he claimed he could get me in. It was the same doctors a couple days later, said what are you doing here? Later reported for the draft exam, same story. It finally got to the point they had me go to a doctor every six months to get my BP and weight checked all through Vietnam.
Not long after the end of Vietnam I was in a bad MC accident. Nurse checked my BP and I wisecracked, "Off the chart huh?" Oh no, it`s perfect! I have had good BP ever since. My wife said God kept me from going in. I think she might be right.
I have been rejected more times than I can count. In LE too.

 

[cpt-t]

((( IMHO ))) If You didn't ((( GET ))) to go to Viet Nam, you didn't miss out on a darn thing. The weather was either really Hot & Wet or really Hot & Dry. Their food was bad and the their water was even worse. The Vietnamese people hated every one of us, and would not speak to us, look at us, or even acknowledge our presentence. Except for the whores, slicky boys, black marketers, and dope pushers, and they only spoke to us if they wanted us to buy something from them. I never knew a Vietnamese civilian or soldier, that you could trust, or believe anything that they said. The Vietnamese were a nation of thieves, liars, and cowards. I personally never seen an ARVN of any size stand their ground and fight. They always ran, and their leaders were the first to run. And We despised them for that. The VC & NVA won that pathetic miserable little war and the Corrupt South Vietnamese lost. And We went home with our tails between our legs.
ken

 

[Paul B]

Enlisted in the Air Force in 1960. They asked what jobs were I interested in and gave me three choices. Did not get any of my choices. They made a weather man out of me. :roll:

They asked where I would like to be stationed, one stateside and one over seas choice. As soon as tech school was done I got my stateside choice. Well yes and no. Got the statesside all right Hamilton AFB just across the Golden Gate from home. I could eat home cooking and see my girl friend. Another punk with political influence, his uncle a Senator from Florida didn't like his duty station, Nellis AFB Nevada. Junior flip calls uncle, bitches about assignment and guess who ends up at Nellis, no home cooked meals and no see girl friend? :x For those that don't know, Nellis airplane patch is in Las Vegas, home of the blunderturds, err Thunderbirds. Weather shared extremely nice quarters with the Thunderbird maintenance team. Difficult to get along with. No respect for us weather people who worked rotating shift work and played loud music into the late hours. :x People in Las Vegas for the most part looked down on the military. Three years there and not much fun. Then got transferred to Korea. I thought it better duty. :roll: I'd planned to reup but lost a stripe though an aerticle 15 so was told no can do. :x September 1964 I became a civilian again. No matter. Life's been more than good to me. I could have been sent to Nam. :lol: I did learn a trade that gave me a good living so no complaints. :mrgreen:
Paul B.

 

[tinman]

Volunteer.......and would do it again.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Fall of 1970 began my senior year in college. I thought I'd planned things ok, working like crazy the first three years so I could coast that last one. Problem was, the Selective Service folks took that low class load as an indication I didn't want a student deferment again, and I got a card in the mail, 1-A.

Went and talked to the lady at the draft board, and she told me they hadn't gotten to my lottery number, 242, the previous year, and this year they'd have to go thru the current year's numbers first, then fill in with my year's numbers. So it was up to me whether to sign up for more classes, wait it out for the "Greetings" letter and enlist, or what. Two HS and now college buddies were in USAF ROTC, same class as me, but different school, and the topic came up of OTS after graduation (we had no ROTC program on our campus.) I waited a little while after graduation, then went and talked to the recruiter. By this time, they'd only take OTS candidates who were willing to fly. Sounded good to me, so I took all the written tests, passed 'em handily, and it was time for the flight physical.

Doc found something he didn't like. He told me to go home and wait for results. A couple of weeks later a letter came from Lackland AFB in San Antonio. "We're sorry..." was the gist of it.

As a couple of others have mentioned, I've tried to find other ways to serve this country outside the military. But I still feel a little badly when people my age, some of whom I know were in VN, ask if I ever served and I have to say "No." To all you guys who did serve, and "were there," thank you!

Rick C

 

[lgriff1968]

I enlisted (volunteered) in the Marines Corps for four years active in 1964. Younger brother volunteered for four in 1967.

Father and uncle both volunteered out of Jefferson Barracks Missouri during WWII.

Maternal grandfather started volunteer enlistment Nov. 11, 1918 at Fort Scott, Ks (Armistice Day), enlistment was not finalized. Paternal grandfather (B: 1885) was not called before end of WWI, probably due to his age.

Both gg grandfathers (B: 1826 and 1829) volunteered in the Union Army during the Civil War out of Ohio.

My paternal 4th great grandfather (B:1752) volunteered as enlisted in the New Jersey Continental Line during the Revolution. There is actually an act of Congress granting him a reissue of his lost Bounty Land Office Warrant for 100 acres for his service.

My maternal 4th great grandfather (B: 1743) was in Captain Trimbles Company in VA. during the Revolutionary War.

I am a ancestry and family linage enthusiast!

 

[toysoldier]

Tried to enlist at 17, right out of high school, with parent's approval. Rejected due to having had spinal fusion at age 12. When I got my draft card, I was 1-Y: "Not suitable for enlistment or induction except in time of war or national emergency." A couple of my friends in college were also 1-Y (overweight). We referred to it as the "cannon fodder classification." Later, that classification was eliminated, and I was 4-F.

 

[LAH]

Enlisted 1968, US Army. Last day of high school was June 14. On the 18th I was in Ft. Knox for Basic.

 

[wizofwas]

I was drafted. It was a choice of 2 years Army or 4 years Navy. I chose the 2 years Army. I figured, if I liked it, I could always reup. I got real lucky and was classified non combat because of my eyes and got sent to Germany. Almost everyone I went through AIT with went to Nam. Of course, I didn't know I was non combat until I got out and saw it on my DD 214.

 

[Tom W]

I do remember sitting around and drinking beer with my buddies. When all had our cards with the numbers on them, and the girlscwere drawing the numbers like it was a state lottery. Being 4-H I knew that I was going to be the last to be invited, but having epilepsy was just as well as 4-F.
When the lady drew the first number the guy next to me let our a moan and passed out. His was the first that was drawn.

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Enlisted delayed entry program,,,graduated HS June 7th,1967,,arrived Parris Island June 12th,,arrived VN early November.
Would do it all over again!
Terry

 

[Fox Mike]

Entered in 1959 so by the Nam time frame I was stationed at W-44, a Nike Hercules site at Waldorf Maryland, as a full-time Army National Guardsman. The draft board didn't want me as I was 4-A.

 

[RVN11B40]

Wasted a year after high school trying to be Joe College. Got my fill of that pretty quickly. Then I followed my life long dream and hiked my butt down the the enlistment office and signed up. MOS 11B, that one way ticket to Vietnam. This was in early 1970. Stayed in until 1991.
Folks were initially ticked off but as time went on they got really proud of their hard headed first born.

 

[mg357]

My uncle Charlie enlisted in the u.s. army in 1964 at the age of 17 served one tour of duty in Vietnam from 1964 until late 1965.

And was honorably discharged in 1967 with the rank Of sergeant.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

To answer the question, no I did not serve.

 

[Heliman]

Just met a fellow veteran I know at Costco. He joined in 1960. He served 12 years as a Navy Seal, 10 more in the Air Force Reserve and finished up in the Army National Guard. Retired at the age of 60.

 

[Heliman]

Did not serve and protested the war. Most Americans wanted the war to end long before it did.

So, not a draftee OR volunteer as in the subject title. Why comment at all? :roll: Must be an antagonist......

 

[fiasconva]

Joined the AF after graduating from college in '71. I called the draft board and told them my lottery number. It was 124 and the cutoff in my county was 125. They told me to expect my draft notice as soon as they could send it out.

 

[MYBABYISA44MAG]

Almost draftee.....my lottery number was 24....I received my induction notice for 12/7/72...I graduated from college in Aug 72....reported for induction along with about 20 others....all of us sent home...Nixon ended the draft in January 73....oddly enough I eventually received my new card later in the year classified as 4-F

 

[Mus408]

My neighbor has his story he tells all the time...he got his draft notice in 1969 and had to of course give up a nice paying job and his 1965 Mustang for the Vietnam trip.
Several years ago when he retired he learned from others about how to play the VA disability system and some how got 100% disability for being crazy and knee injury which really came from his civilian plant job.
Anyway when we all get together he'll rub it in on us about the 3200 bucks a month extra he receives plus a pass on his real estate tax.
We all drink his beer since the rest of us pay for it in taxes!