|
My dad managed to avoid being drafted because first he was in university, then after that deferment ended, a friend in the draft board office managed to "lose" his paperwork for a few months. Then, Nixon instituted the draft lottery. Thankfully, my dad's number was very high and so he wasn't drafted. He wouldn't have minded--he took the test to get into OCS and passed with flying colors, and since he already had a degree he probably would have been fine. However, during those months my grandfather, who worked for KLM, kept a standby ticket to the Netherlands in his nightstand just in case my dad did get drafted. Although my father contends he would have happily served his adopted country, I think he underestimates the will of my oma. Had it come to it, she would have bodily hauled him on to the plane back to the Netherlands herself.
Many of my friends' dads are Vietnam vets or just missed the draft. They have some very interesting stories, to be sure.
__________________
If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau
|