How old were draftees in Vietnam?

Lottery for Call of Order

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.

Can you be drafted at age 35?

All men from the ages of 18 to 64 years will now be eligible for the draft, according to a decision made by congressional committees on December 16, now including men with families who might have previously been exempt because of old age or boys fresh out of school.

How old were men who were drafted?

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.

When did draftees serve in Vietnam?

The military draft brought the war to the American home front. During the Vietnam War era, between 1964 and 1973, the U.S. military drafted 2.2 million American men out of an eligible pool of 27 million.

What birthdays were chosen 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.

The Vietnam War Draft

What are the draft ages?

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 old were the oldest draftees in World War 2?

After the United States entered World War II, amendments to the Selective Training and Service Act on December 20, 1941, made all men between the ages of 20 and 44 liable for military service, and required all men between the ages of 18 and 64 to register.

What is the oldest draft age?

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.

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.

Can I join the military at 55 years old?

The oldest active duty age limit for the Army is 35; for the Navy, 34; for the Marines, 29; for the Air Force, 39; and for the Coast Guard, 27.

Can I join the military at 45 years old?

Can I join the Army at 45 years old? Unfortunately, no. Under Federal law, the oldest a recruit can be to enter any branch of the military is 42 years old.

Who Cannot be drafted?

1. The Vice-President of the United States, the Judges of the various Courts of the Untied States, the heads of the various executive departments of the Government, and the Governors of the several States. 2. The only son liable to military duty of a widow dependent upon his labor for support.

Did 17 year olds serve in Vietnam?

The minimum age for enlistment was seventeen years but with parental consent, though a number of young men and even women lied about their ages in order to sign up. Facing an army that had little or no respect for the rules of war, a good number of the teen soldiers were easily intimidated.

How old was the youngest soldier killed in Vietnam?

On June 7, 1969, Bullock was killed by small arms fire while on night watch at An Hoa combat base. He was 15 years old and had been in-country nearly one month. He was the youngest American service member to be killed in the Vietnam War.

How old would the youngest Vietnam veteran be?

"Of the 2,709,918 Americans who served in Vietnam, Less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today, with the youngest American Vietnam veteran's age approximated to be 60 years old."

Can a 50 year old join the military?

What age is too old to join the military? Federal law dictates that the oldest recruit for any military branch must be 42 years old. However, each branch can set its cap below that < 42 limit.

How can I find my grandfather's draft card?

The original draft cards are at the National Archives branch in Morrow, Georgia. World War I draft registrations are available online at Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, Findmypast.com and fold3. FamilySearch is the only one with free access (a personal subscription or library access is required for the others).

Who is exempt from Selective Service?

The criteria for exemption from registration are: A man is placed in a hospital, nursing home, long-term care facility, or mental institution on or before his 18th birthday, had no breaks of institutionalization of 30 days or longer, and remained institutionalized until his 26th birthday.

At what age can you not be drafted?

Men turning 21 in the year of the draft would be second priority, men turning 22 would be third, and so on until a man turns 26, at which time he is over the age of liability. Younger men would not be called in that year until men in the 20-25 age group are called.

Can girls get drafted?

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. Prior to this latest update, Defense Secretary Leon E.

Did the Korean War have a draft?

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 you be drafted with asthma?

Asthma can be a disqualifying condition that prohibits military service. If your symptoms are mild, you may be able to obtain a waiver that can allow you to join. This can involve passing one or more tests of respiratory strength, as well as completing a physical examination.

Who was exempt from the Vietnam draft?

1. Be a Conscientious Objector. Jehovah's Witnesses, Mennonites, the Amish, and Quakers are all considered Peace Churches who are opposed to any kind of military service. They were allowed to serve in other ways, however, but in a civilian capacity.

How long was a tour of duty in Vietnam for draftees army?

A tour of duty in Vietnam for most ground forces lasted one year. Becoming “short” by having less than 100 days left in a tour of duty was a cause for celebration.