My birth date is December 11, 1952. I finished high school in May 1971. I began college September 1971. My lottery number 56 was called up so I had to leave college and began basic training August 21, 1972 at Ft Knox, Ky.

While in basic training I volunteered to go airborne. I was sent straight to jump school at Ft. Benning, Ga. when I finished basic training. I finished airborne school and was sent to Ft. Bragg around the 1st of December to be in the 82nd Airborne Division. My Advanced Individual Training was on-the-job training in the motor pool to have a MOS 63B2P, wheel vehicle mechanic paratrooper. My job was to keep fuel in the Colonel’s jeep and generator while in the field!

I would have not volunteered to serve but having been drafted I am proud of being a veteran. I only had to serve 2 years’ active duty since I was drafted, and I got out of the army August 20, 1974. I went to Auburn University for the next four years to get my BS. (Weagle, Weagle, War Damn Eagle!) The GI Bill paid for those four years–not all tax dollar are wasted. Thank you to the tax-paying Americans for my education. 

[Ed. note: Men born in 1952 were subject to the lottery held August 5, 1971, which determined the order of call for 1972].