Vietnam era war time.
Very opposed to that war at the time. Believed, not good for America. No change now in that belief.
Student (college) deferment 2-S until I graduated Dec. 1969.
Quickly changed to 1-A in Jan 1970.
Draft lottery number 142. Automatically coming up to be drafted about July 1970. I was very familiar with my draft board. She was a nice lady.
Enlisted for 2 yrs. April 11, 1972 in order to set my own entry date.
Could not get a job with my college degree, beyond sack boy at local grocery in spite of federal law at that the time.
Yes. I tried. "Come back after you get out, boy".
Basic training at Ft Lewis, Wa.
During that time there was a big stink in US Congress about % of minorities sent into the direct fighting.
Can't dispute that, I believed it to be so at the time.
Congress fixed that situation quickly.
Everyone in Basic who was a college grad, graduated Basic training with orders to 11-B.
11-B = Infantry Soldier.
8 weeks - Infantry AIT at Ft Lewis, Wa. Training was 90% NATO preparation, 10% VN as they thought they understood it. They had no real clue even at that late date.
Arrived RVN - Cam Ranh Bay - 1 Sep 70.
Assigned to a unit in the 23rd Div. out of Chu Lai VN.
Humped just about every Infantry weapon out there until I scored a "rear job" on a Fire Base.
Took a 2 week leave to the World in March 1970. Got back the day my Fire Base was hit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_FSB_Mary_Ann
I missed it by the grace of God by hours as I got back to the Co area late in the afternoon.
My unit, C co. 1/46 was hit hard. Many names on the Wall now.
Lots of changes took place as a result of losing one of the last significant "battles" of the late war.
We got our "b*tt" kicked in spite of much bravery on the part of the guys out on the hill that night.
Ended up assigned to a compound west of Da Nang when the Marines left it to us when they officially left RVN.
No problem there personally. Went to the R&R center at China Beach, almost every Sunday off.
(the nurses were nowhere as good looking as on the TV show of the same name).
Funny how situations change.
This is one of those posts that I should just hit "delete", but everything I have said, I experienced and is true.
Go ahead and flame me or argue the times if you want, I really don't care.