Drafted

This is the way it happened.

 I was out of college

divorced my first wife in June

received my 

“You are ordered to report...” in July

I threw it away.

 

I was estranged from parents and family.

It was a summer of drunken, 

drugged, self-destruction

A state of mind not given 

to taking orders

or to reporting.

 

I didn’t really know my Uncle Sam.

Politics is for the rich

mud, misery, and 

dying for the rich is for the poor.

I was poor.

facing 3 years probation without a drivers license.

present and past in shambles

This was an alternative.

I dug it back out of the trash.

 

I was poor, but not dumb.

I presented my crumpled, stained, 

barely readable papers 

the morning of August 4th, 1968

convinced being 30 pounds underweight 

with a history of rheumatic heart 

and bone density problems 

would keep me out.

It didn’t.

 

I was not alone.  

I was chest-to-back 

with the largest number of 

unwilling young men 

citizens and non-citizens

being forced into the military 

in any one month in American History.

before or since

many could barely speak English.

...over 30,000 of us...

 

bare-assed, half-assed physical

four and one half hours in a crowded bus

to Fort Leonardwood, MO

issued training fatigues 4 in. too big

“you’ll grow into them”

my blond ponytail hit the floor with a resigned tear

2 days of written tests

called for personal interview

qualified for officer’s candidate school

required signing for 4 years minimum

not just no, hell no

2 days of falling into formation every four hours

to await orders

name finally called

sent to one week crash course 

in military rules and procedures

called LOC (leadership orientation course)

the military solution 

to a shortage of training personnel

 

then on to basic training 

as an “acting jack” sergeant

all the headache without the pay.

The incentive? 

a squishy promise of faster rank 

with pay after training.

I was dedicated and stubborn

I knew I was headed for Nam

worked and studied hard

took training serious

expert marksman

gained inches on my waist

ran a six minute mile

8 weeks crammed into 6

graduated

...no leave...

ordered to advanced infantry 

“ground-pounder”

training at Ft. Ord, CA 

ran before breakfast

ran in loose sand

anti-personel training

30 mile walk/run

now I fit my pants

8 weeks crammed into 6 weeks

graduated

...14 day leave...

married my second wife

with little planning or forethought

on Christmas Day

I needed someone to be waiting for me

 

reported to San Francisco 

issued cold weather gear

2 days of falling into formation every four hours

to await orders

name finally called

put on a plane 

2,387 miles to Hawaii - refueled

2,308 miles to Wake island - refueled

1508 miles to Guam Island - refueled

1,400 miles to Ben Hua, Vietnam

ground crew in loin cloths

as we exited in fur coats

the real adventure had begun

Reviews

[Nick Erickson]

"ground crew in loin cloths
as we exited in fur coats"

Ahhh yes... total military planning. They are going to the tropics, give them arctic gear to wear.

Another great piece, great imagery and description of your "choice" to answer the draft call.

I never had to live through a draft, joining the Navy on my own. This was a very informative piece from one who was there.

Thanks again for sharing.

[Siddartha Beth Pierce]

Oh, this leaves me wanting to hear more. Wonderfully written. What a life you have lead - reluctant or not - thank you for your service to this country though I abhor war. Thank you for sharing.
Light,
Siddartha

[TL Boehm]

visceral. I almost have difficulty reviewing it because of the intensity of the piece, my heart screaming "no" to all the insensitivity doled out to you and the others - just doing what you were told....amazing writing. You get to the heart of a poem quickly....and you don't back off...

[Goddess Sophia (filomen..]

incredible ...held me captive to the bitter end.
i married her so i could have someone waiting...
intense....i could feel the pain...

[Helen Woodward]

I'm out of breath reading this! It's so intense/dense and sounds like a Hell hole! I'm wondering whether this would captivate better if it were in short story form with narrative principles...Just a suggestion Papa!
Your entire Uncle Sam experience is in this piece and it's a lot to take in, but I nonetheless did, which means you know your stuff...
Terrific effort and nicely presented...certainly concise, but I think too much so...anyway what the Hell do I know????
Cheers,
Helen.

[Emily B]

This is a story! Memory keen, no apologies, this is my life kind of story. My favorite words were "bare-assed, half-assed physical", I had to read it again, it was so clever. Thanks for the read request. This was an awesome write.

(My dad was drafted. Through some kind of dumb luck he got traded for some barrels of coffee and sent to Thailand instead)