How did the war draft work?

If Congress and the president authorize a draft: The Selective Service System will start calling registered men ages 18-25 for duty. The men will be called in a sequence determined by random lottery number and year of birth. The men will be examined for mental, physical, and moral fitness for military service.

How did the draft work for the Vietnam War?

As the war went on, selective service requirements, deferments and exemptions changed in an effort to make the draft appear more fair. One of those changes was the institution of a draft lottery, which gave young men a random number between 1 and 366 corresponding to their birthdays. Lower numbers were called first.

How did they decide who got drafted?

Overview. If Congress and the President were to reinstate a military draft, the Selective Service System would conduct a National Draft Lottery to determine the order in which young men would be drafted. The lottery would establish the priority of call based on the birth dates of registrants.

How did the WWII draft work?

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. … Those who were selected from the draft lottery were required to serve at least one year in the armed forces.

How did the draft work before the lottery?

A draft held TODAY would use a lottery to determine the order of call. Before the lottery was implemented in the latter part of the Vietnam conflict, there was no system in place to determine order of call besides the fact that men between the ages of 18 and 26 were vulnerable to being drafted.

Did college students get drafted in Vietnam?

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.

Does the draft still exist in 2020?

The Selective Service System is a direct result of the Selective Service Act of 1917. … Although the draft doesn’t exist in 2020, all men, whether U.S. citizens or immigrants, between the ages of 18 to 26 are required to register with the Selective Service System.

Is the draft still a thing?

While the draft ended after the Vietnam War when the U.S. moved to the current all-volunteer military, the Selective Service System remains in place if needed to maintain national security. The mandatory registration of all male civilians aged 18 to 25 ensures that the draft can quickly be resumed if needed.

Will the draft happen again?

That does NOT mean a draft will never happen again in the future, but it does mean that for all intents and purposes (in conditions present for the entirety of the 21st century to date) you are signing your name to a roster and little else.

Can an only son be drafted?

the “only son”, “the last son to carry the family name,” and ” sole surviving son” must register with Selective Service. These sons can be drafted. However, they may be entitled to peacetime deferment if there is a military death in the immediate family. See more information on “Who Needs to Register.”

How likely is a draft to happen?

Can the United States have a draft? Theoretically, yes, but the possibility of that happening is slim. Fleury says that by law, the government can require only that men register. The government would need to enact new legislation to actually put men in arms.

What happens if you get drafted and refuse to go?

If you get a draft notice, show up, and refuse induction, you’ll probably be prosecuted. However, some people will slip through the breaks in the system, and some will win in court. If you show up and take the physical, there’s a good chance that you’ll flunk.

Do females have to register for Selective Service?

As of January 2016, there has been no decision to require females to register with Selective Service, or be subject to a future military draft. Selective Service continues to register only men, ages 18 through 25.

How do you get exempt from the draft?

You are exempt from Selective Service registration if you can prove you were continuously institutionalized or confined from 30 days before you turned 18 through age 25. If you were released for any period longer than 30 days during this window, you were required to register with the Selective Service System.

What age does the draft end?

1980 – The Selective Service System becomes active again. Present – The U.S. currently operates under an all-volunteer armed forces policy. All male citizens between the ages of 18 and 26 are required to register for the draft and are liable for training and service until the age of 35.

When was the last time the draft was used?

1973
The last man inducted entered the U.S. Army on June 30, 1973 during the last draft conducted.

How many drafts have there been?

Conscription in the United States, commonly known as the draft, has been employed by the federal government of the United States in six conflicts: the American Revolutionary War, the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Can the youngest son be drafted?

Contrary to popular belief, “only sons,” “the last son to carry the family name,” and “sole surviving sons” must register and they can be drafted. However, they may be entitled to a peacetime deferment if there is a military death in the immediate family. … This is known as the “surviving son or brother” provision.

Can you be drafted at age 37?

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.

How many Marines were drafted in Vietnam?

For Marines it had been a long and especially costly war. About 450,000 Leathernecks, mostly volunteers, served in Vietnam (42,600 were draftees). Some 13,000 were killed and 88,000 wounded (51,392 badly enough to be hospitalized).

Which president started the draft for Vietnam?

Legal authority for a peacetime draft came from the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, signed by President Franklin Roosevelt in order to mobilize American civilian-soldiers in anticipation of entry into World War II.

What birthdays were picked for the Vietnam draft?

On December 1, 1969, the Selective Service System of the United States conducted two lotteries to determine the order of call to military service in the Vietnam War in the year 1970, for men born from January 1, 1944 to December 31, 1950.

Why was the Vietnam draft Unfair?

The draft for the Vietnam War brought with it anxiety and anger to many American households. … The draft was viewed as unequal because the working class man’s only choice was to go to war, while the wealthy men would go to college or enlist in the National Guard.

How much did soldiers get paid in Vietnam?

Vietnam War

New soldiers pocketing $78 would have a salary that equates to 642.71 now, while those with over four months of service who pocketed $83.20 were receiving the equivalent of $685.56 in today’s dollars.