I had considered dropping out of college and enlisting, but instead joined the USMC PLC program (less school year but more summer commitment than ROTC) in October of ’66.  Since I had the student deferment I didn’t see the reserve deferment as an escape, and fully expected to go to ‘Nam upon graduation. 

I tore up a knee playing soccer for "Durham" (NCAA dodge the schools were using) in the spring of ’67 and couldn’t go to Marine camp that summer. The Marines said I could do two sessions the next summer.  Not being at all motivated as a student, by spring ’68 it was clear I needed  a different major if I hoped to graduate on time, and that would require summer school instead of Marine camp.  I was given a honorable discharge as an E-1 and my draft status reverted to I-A.  Got back my student deferment and eked out a diploma.

I was married and had a job coaching and teaching when the lottery was held.  My wife and our families were very concerned about it, but I really didn’t care.  They had guilt-tripped me into not volunteering again, but I had a student whose father was missing in ‘Nam at the time and I thought it made more sense for me to be there than for guys with kids.  A low number would solve the problem.  But I got a 256 and my wife and our mothers were on the phone all evening as to what that meant.  To this day I have guilt that I did not go. 

The other disappointment with the lottery was that my  much younger brother’s birthday was 9/14 but he was not yet 18.  He had been a pain in my ass growing up.  I called and told him he was No. 1 from then on and as soon as he turned 18 he’d be on his way.  Scared the hell out of him for a couple of days.  We had different values.