Taking the King's Shilling

   In the fall of '68 LBJ suspended the college deferments to appease the hue and cry that the wealthy elite sons weren't subject to the draft and possible death by virtue of their college deferments. I wasn't elite nor wealthy but I was in college and draft deferred. Carrying too many hours as an engineering student burned me out and I wasn't able to stay enrolled. Fortunately I was a few months ahead of the curve and was able to possibly escape being drafted as the first letter of my last name was due to be in the draft selection that March. It was Jan. or Early Feb. by then and checking with the draft board confirmed the approaching gamble of fate. Discretion being the better part of valor I hied me off to the Air Force Recruiter whom I had signed up with the spring before but changed my mind and took up scholarship instead. I had, I hoped, my bases covered.
  
This was the dilemma facing young men of my age.  I didn't have any great patriotic feeling about going off to war.  Nor did I have any interest in fleeing my country out of fear or fashionable politics. Members of my family have served from,US Navy WW1,The B-17 bombing of Germany, the Bataan Death March, The Aleutian campaign, and the Korean war.  I had decided that If I was to serve it would be on my terms as much as possible. So I signed up for the Air Force as my brother had in the Korean War.
   I realized I would have to live with myself over what course I took regarding military service. I also realized there was no cowardice in getting the best duty you were able to. Surviving is the first order of business in any war. Only doing your duty and living with your behavior doing it trumps that imperative.  As I was to experience first hand.
   As my draft selection month approached I , with a great sense of urgency, again contacted the Air Force Recruiter.  I was in luck!  My paper work was still Current as it had been not a year since I had initiated it. A few weeks longer and not so lucky. Only a physical was required and three weeks later I was on my way to Lackland AFB,Texas for basic training..... I had Beat the draft!!!!