How old was too old for the Vietnam draft?

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. Local boards called men classified 1-A, 18-1/2 through 25 years old, oldest first.

What is the oldest age for the US draft?

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.

Can you be drafted at age 35?

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.

Were 40 year olds drafted in WWII?

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. This was the first peacetime draft in United States' history.

What age can you no longer be drafted?

For example, if a draft were held in 2020, those men born in 2000 would be considered first. 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.

The Vietnam War Draft

Can the US draft 30 year olds?

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.

Who was exempt from Vietnam draft?

College and graduate students who, almost by definition, were neither poor nor people of color, were given draft exemptions. However, poor and disadvantaged men not in college were drafted at higher rates and were consequently injured and killed at higher rates.

What disqualifies you from draft?

Asthma, mental health issues and ADHD top the list of maladies that keep the recruiters at bay, says Mission: Readiness. Even those who currently serve can have health-related issues that keep them from deploying, such as dental problems and recurring injuries.

Who Cannot be drafted war?

Who gets drafted first for war?

According to the selective service, if a draft were held today, those who are 20 years old -- or turning 20 during the year in which the numbers are drawn -- would be the first to go.

Is the draft coming back?

Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., the leading sponsor in the House of the Selective Service Repeal Act, have announced that they don't plan to run for reelection in 2022, which may influence whether this is considered before or after the 2022 elections. But the issue won't go away.

What happens if you refuse the draft?

If required to register with Selective Service, failure to register is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or 5 years imprisonment. Also, a person who knowingly counsels, aids, or abets another to fail to comply with the registration requirement is subject to the same penalties.

Who was the last man drafted in 1973?

The last man, as Dwight Elliot Stone has come to be known, yielded to the inevitable on June 30, 1973. His status as the final American draftee to be inducted into military service made him something of a celebrity. Reporters and photographers recorded his progress through basic training at Fort Polk in Louisiana.

Why did the draft end in 1973?

On Jan. 27, 1973, with the Paris Peace Accords signed and U.S. involvement in Vietnam over, Defense Secretary Melvin R. Laird announced the end of the military draft, after 25 uninterrupted years of conscription.

Can the military draft be reinstated?

Can the US still institute a draft? Draft induction authority expired in 1973. It would take an act of Congress to reinstate the draft. The president would then be authorized to induct civilians through the Selective Service Administration into the armed forces under an amendment to the Military Selective Service Act.

What was the oldest age drafted in WWI?

Can you be drafted at age 55?

Can a 56 year old be drafted? 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.

Can I join the military at 45 years old?

The cutoff age for the Army is 39, although waivers will be accepted for people up to 45 years old. The Air Force and Space Force also accept enlisted recruits up to age 39, while the Marine Corps stops at 28 years old.

Is 37 too old to be drafted?

It required all men between the ages of 18 to 64 to register with the Selective Service. To register, men typically completed a D.S.S. Form 1 Military Draft Registration Card from the Director of Selective Service.

Can you be drafted at age 37?

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.

What birthdays were drafted in Vietnam?

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.

Can a 40 year old be drafted in the US?

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.

What states automatically register you for Selective Service?

States that have enacted and implemented legislation tying registration with Selective Service to state benefits but not to driver's licenses: Alaska, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and North Dakota.

Can females be drafted in the United States?

While women officers and enlisted personnel serve with distinction in the U.S. Armed Forces, women have never been subject to Selective Service registration or a military draft in America. Those women who served in the past and those who serve today in ever increasing numbers all volunteered for military service.

How tall is too tall for the military?

The ideal height requirement for men in the military is between 60-80 inches / 152-203 cm. Anyone above or below this requirement is likely to get rejected.