WHAT IF I GET DRAFTED?

In 1968, the Vietnam War was raging and personnel were being drafted under the old Selective Service Program. An Air Force Recruiting Command full Colonel told his staff that new, innovative methods must be used to recruit men into the Air Force. Too many were being lost to the draft, he said. He organized attractive pay incentives to encourage his men. One enterprising recruiting sergeant responded especially well to the Colonel's program, although in a devious way.

The sergeant began by revisiting over 100 prospective recruits who had recently turned down his offer to join the Air Force. To these he explained that he was not trying to talk them into the military but was only there to "warn" them. If they should receive a draft notice, it would come in an official U.S. Army envelope, he said. If they would rather join the Air Force, than be drafted, it was most important that they not open the official envelope. To do so, he told them, was tantamount to receiving a court ordered summons. (This was not so.)

Once opened, they were obligated to be drafted. To avoid such a fate, they must immediately request to join the Air Force. Having made his visits, the Sergeant called the Air Force motorpool and scheduled a number of buses to be ready on the week following.

Next, he acquired several boxes of U.S. Army envelopes, addressed them, stuffed them with blank paper and sent them out. At the appointed time, the motorpool buses were filled with new recruits, the sergeant received his pay incentive and a surprised Colonel was careful not to ask any questions.