During the Vietnam War, the growing number of body bags arriving home prompted some Americans to look long and hard at a draft system that seemed to discriminate between the rich and the poor.
Throughout the course of the war, 26,800,000 young American males were eligible for military service under the selective service legislation of 1948. Of these 8,720,00 volunteered for service and 2,215,000 were drafted. This left 15,980,00 men who never set foot in Vietnam. Contrary to the common believe, only 3.5 percent of these - little over 570,000 men - were technically "draft dodgers." Whether they avoided the call-up by failing to register, or by moving abroad, is of little significance compared with the 15,410,000 men who were disqualified or obtained deferment or exemption from military service.
There were those who lodged conscientious objections. Marriage and even self-mutilation were also employed to sidestep the draft, but enrolling for college or graduate education was by far the most popular methon used to frustrate the draft boards.
Only 23 percent of college students were drafted and just 45 percent of high school graduates. As students were generally the offspring of the more affluent sectors of American society, it soon became clear that the burden of US commitment to Vietnam was being shouldered by the under-privileged.
The inequality of the draft system was exemplified by Robert McNamara's infamous "Project 100,000." Initiated in 1966, this was a blatant attempt to use the armed forces as a dumping ground for those of low intelligence.
In the face of mounting protest, some attempt was made to remedy the obvious inequalities in the draft system. Graduate deferment was abolished in 1967, and a random lottery draft was introduced in December of 1969. Other exemptions, such as that for college students, had been phased out by 1971, however, it was too late to make the draft system equitalbe - the Nixon administration was forced to introduce a voluntary system of enlistment in January of 1973.
DRAFT CATEGORIES:
How you were classified by your draft local board was vital to the future of any young man. the main classifications were:
I-A: Available for military service.
I-A-O: Conscientious objector available for non-combat military service only.
I-C: Member of the armed forces of the United States, the Coast and Geodetic Survey, or Public health Service.
I-D: Member of reserve component or student taking military training.
I-O: Conscientious objector available for civilian work contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety or interest.
I-S: Student deferred by statute (high school).
I-W: Conscientious objector performing civilian work contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety or interest.
I-Y: Registrant available for military service, but qualified for military service only in the event of war or national emergency.
II-A: Registrant deferred because of civilian occupation (except agriculture or activity in study).
II-C: Registrant deferred because of agricultural occupation.
II-S: Registrant deferred because of activity in study.
III-A: Registrant with a child or children; registrant deferred by reason of extreme hardship to dependants.
IV-A: Registrant who has completed service; sole surviving son.
IV-B: Official deferred by law.
IV-C: Alien.
IV-D: Minister of religion or divinity student.
IV-F: Registrant not qualified for any military service.
V-A: Registrant over the age of liability for military service.