1970 Draft Procedures

This November 1970 article describes recent changes in Selective Service procedures to determine the priority of draft-eligible young men.

The lottery system began in 1970. Prior to that, we were all No. 1 unless we could find a deferment to hide behind. 

Personally, I nursed my 2-S student deferment through a five-year college career until I screwed up and graduated in 1966. I was promised my draft notice would arrive one month and one day after graduation. I was in Air Force basic training 24 days after graduation.  

Terms of enlistment varied. Enlistment in the Air Force or Navy incurred a four-year active duty commitment. Enlisting the Army carried a three-year commitment. Draftees faced two years of compulsory service. 

The differences recognized that Army and Marines were likely to serve in the infantry or artillery or other combat positions. Air Force and Navy inductees were more likely headed for technical fields in support organizations. 

At the Omaha induction center I learned how Marines were selected. Men for all services went through the day of processing together. Late in the afternoon, the nine of us heading to San Antonio and the Air Force were sent to one side of the room. A larger contingent of Navy-bound men were in another cluster. Army and Marine enlistees were large groups also segregated. 

The men who had been drafted stood in lines in the middle of the room. They were directed to count off by fours. That is, in sequence they said, "1" "2" "3" "4" "1" "2" etc. When the last man had said a number, those who had said the number 1 were ordered to the front and were congratulated for being Marines. 

Each individual was given a packet containing their induction information and each group dispersed to transportation to their training facilities.

As the oldest of our group of nine, I was given custody of all of our packets, we went outside to a bus to Eppley and to a flight to the San Antonio airport where we met a bus about midnight for the ride to Lackland Air Force Base. Our Training Instrutors (TI) welcomed us, confiscated our Draft Cards if we still had them, assigned our bunks and allowed us one last sleep-in until 8:00 am when we were introduced to the chow hall - Day One of my 21-year Air Force career.