Could you be drafted in Vietnam if you were in college?
In 1965, a college education was no longer a get-out-of-jail free card for the Vietnam War. College undergraduate and graduate students were automatically awarded draft status 2-S–deferment for postsecondary education–and could not be forced to serve. For those opposed to the war, it was a get-out-of-jail-free card.
What was a college draft deferment during the Vietnam War?
Throughout most of the Vietnam war men who were enrolled in college could obtain deferments that delayed their eligibility for conscription. Anecdotal and quantitative evidence suggests that these deferments were an effective though imperfect way to avoid military service.
Did college get you out of the draft?
Before Congress reformed the draft in 1971, a man could qualify for a student deferment if he could show he was a full-time student making satisfactory progress in virtually any field of study. Under the current draft law, a college student can have his induction postponed only until the end of the current semester.
Did college students have to fight in Vietnam?
Educational deferments were the lion’s share of the more than 15 million men who legally evaded conscription. College graduates were roughly 6.5 times less likely to serve in Vietnam than other civilians of the same generation. It was their kin and kind shouldering the bulk of the fighting in Vietnam.
Did high school students get drafted to Vietnam?
Of those, 1.8 million men were drafted, but not all went to Vietnam. A high school student could defer being drafted until he graduated or reached the age of 20, whichever came first. A college student could defer the draft on a year-to-year basis provided he made satisfactory academic progress.
How long did you have to serve in Vietnam if you were drafted?
The majority of service members deployed to South Vietnam were volunteers, even though hundreds of thousands of men opted to join the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard (for three or four year terms of enlistment) before they could be drafted, serve for two years, and have no choice over their military occupational …
What was the oldest age drafted in WWII?
The Draft and WWII On September 16, 1940, the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft. This was the first peacetime draft in United States’ history.
What happens if you don’t register for Selective Service?
If required to register with Selective Service, failure to register is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or 5 years imprisonment. Also, a person who knowingly counsels, aids, or abets another to fail to comply with the registration requirement is subject to the same penalties.
Was there a Vietnam draft before 1969?
Lottery changes The lottery changed the way men were drafted in two ways: The lottery altered the dates year to year. Also, prior to 1969, older men — those closer to age 26 — were more likely to be drafted. The last draft call took place in December 1972. U.S. troop involvement in Vietnam ended Aug.
How long did a draftee have to serve in Vietnam?
Draftees had a service obligation of two years, but volunteers served longer tours—four years in the case of the Air Force. Another alternative was to join the National Guard or the Reserve, go to basic training, and then serve out one’s military obligation on training weekends and short active duty tours.
What age can you no longer be drafted?
Men 26 and Older. According to law, a man must register with Selective Service within 30 days of his 18th birthday. Selective Service accepts late registrations up until a man reaches his 26th birthday.
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.