I graduated from college in 1968—the year they ended graduate student deferments but one year before the draft lottery. I managed to avoid being drafted by one day by enlisting in the Navy, where I went on to become a junior officer for four years. Serving with men from every walk of life and every socio-economic class was an incredibly …
I graduated from college in 1968—the year they ended graduate student deferments but one year before the draft lottery. I managed to avoid being drafted by one day by enlisting in the Navy, where I went on to become a junior officer for four years. Serving with men from every walk of life and every socio-economic class was an incredibly valuable experience—and became the basis of my leadership and management skills which served me well throughout my career. I wish my children and grandchildren could have the same grounding-in-reality experience as I had. Too late for my children, but maybe not for my grandchildren.
I graduated from college in 1968—the year they ended graduate student deferments but one year before the draft lottery. I managed to avoid being drafted by one day by enlisting in the Navy, where I went on to become a junior officer for four years. Serving with men from every walk of life and every socio-economic class was an incredibly valuable experience—and became the basis of my leadership and management skills which served me well throughout my career. I wish my children and grandchildren could have the same grounding-in-reality experience as I had. Too late for my children, but maybe not for my grandchildren.