By Christopher Elliott
The Selective Service required 18 year old men to register. That meant the draft. It was the prevailing burden in my life from November 18, 1964 to March 13, 1969. 1475 days.
The U.S. Department of Defense needed conscripts for the war in Vietnam. Lots and lots of men, young men. My relationship with the Draft Board (Selective Service) started at Waukegan Illinois November 30, 1964 when I registered and received my Draft Card. It seemed The Board received continuous mail from our household supporting deferments and pleading our cases for time. The family had three draft age men and two vets. Dad seemed to know Dorothy at the Board personally, the way he talked about it anyway.
Freshman year at college began 78 days before I registered for the draft. Sophomore year began 271 days after draft registration day and the draft was in full swing at 35,000 men per month through 1965. Crappy semesters here and there created academic probations, setting into motion letters of intent and academic promises to Dorothy at the Board. She, Dad and Dr Cadegan–an advisor–kept me deferred at 2-S. I was nervous all the time.
Senior year ended with summer school to make up for those crappy semesters. College ended 1358 days after draft registration. The base level of draft anxiety and fear ratcheted up as deferments expired. Eligible male 22 years old: 1-A.
Just 210 days from summer school to draft day. I’m one of a third of all Vietnam veterans who were draftees (mostly Army) vs enlistees who made up the majority. One brother was an enlistee. Another was drafted way before me.
My trip to induction at West Van Buren Street Chicago started from home in Evanston, Illinois via a 1968 Seafoam Green Mustang. Good luck, stay low, keep laughing on the inside, see ya, said with concerned eyes and pride. Day of reckoning as they say.
Then the induction, hand raised: I, Christopher Elliott, solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of The United States of America against all enemies–foreign and domestic. I bear true faith and allegiance the same, and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officer appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
Drafted. Inducted. Waiting. Smoking with men and boys. Folder of paper-orders to report boot camp at Fort Polk, LA.
My 4 years, 3 months and a couple odd weeks of deferred draft status was over. I had been a student deferred, Board reassigned, and a unique employment seeker.
Training then home then deployment to Xuan Loc Vietnam for 396 days.
The World.
Home.
Christopher Elliott was born in Minneapolis, MN in 1946. He received a BS in Biology at the University of Dubuque, Iowa in 1968. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army and is a veteran of the Vietnam War. Christopher was a career scientist and corporate training executive; he retired in Phoenix, AZ after living in Indiana, Boston, and New York City. Today he is a Certified Master Gardener, Diabetes education and Diabetes Kids Camp founder (MI), and participates in the Arizona Republic Storytellers Project. He enjoys cooking, photography, exploring Arizona, and reading.
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