I remember being at the fraternity house that night in 1969 when the lottery took place.  I was a sophomore at UGA.  My number was actually a good one (228), but I didn’t realize how good it was. A good friend of my father’s was on the draft board in Albany and he told my Dad "all the numbers would be drawn".  Thinking that was accurate, I immediately looked into joining the Reserves or National Guard and  soon signed up for a six-year commitment with the Reserves in Athens.  As a member of the Reserves, I was required to attend basic training for four months, attend monthly 2-day weekend meetings in Athens, and attend the 2-week summer camp each year held in Mississippi.

I left for basic training at Ft. Campbell, Ky. and missed just one quarter of school, as the UGA professors let me start the next quarter a week or so late.  Looking back, I know I did just what Dan Quayle did: "joined the Reserves to avoid serving in Vietnam".  Although spending time going to Reserves for six years was a pain, it surely was nothing compared to what my fellow citizens experienced who actually were drafted or joined the military and were sent to war.  I personally cannot imagine how scary serving in Vietnam would have been and I surely respect those who served.  The Reserves didn’t get much productivity out of me over those six years as there really wasn’t much to do, but pass the time.  I just wish now I had realized how good my No. 228 was.