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What age was conscription in Vietnam?

Author

Andrew Walker

Published Mar 11, 2026

What age was conscription in Vietnam?

Vietnam War. In 1964 compulsory national service for 20-year-old males was introduced under the National Service Act 1964.

Beside this, how old were draftees in Vietnam?

Before the lottery was implemented in the latter part of the Vietnam conflict, there was no system in place to determine order of call besides the fact that men between the ages of 18 and 26 were vulnerable to being drafted. Local boards called men classified 1-A, 18-1/2 through 25 years old, oldest first.

Also Know, was there conscription in Vietnam War? Conscription in the United States, commonly known as the draft, has been employed by the federal government of the United States in six conflicts: the American Revolutionary War, the American Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.

Considering this, what year was conscription for the Vietnam War?

1964

Can you be drafted at age 35?

All males between the ages of 21 and 35 are ordered to register for the draft and the first national lottery is held. President Truman asks that the draft be reinstated. The new Selective Service Act provides for the drafting of men between 19 and 26 for twelve months of active service.

What were the chances of being drafted in Vietnam?

Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. 2/3 of the men who served in World War II were drafted. Approximately 70% of those killed in Vietnam were volunteers.

How many female soldiers died in Vietnam?

Army Corps Nurses arrived in Vietnam as early as 1956. 90% of women who served were volunteer nurses. 8 American military women were killed the Vietnam War. 59 civilian women were killed the Vietnam War.

How old is the youngest Vietnam vet?

Dan Bullock (December 21, 1953 – June 7, 1969) was a United States Marine and the youngest U.S. serviceman killed in action during the Vietnam War, dying at the age of 15.
Dan Bullock
BornDecember 21, 1953 Goldsboro, North Carolina, U.S.
DiedJune 7, 1969 (aged 15) An Hoa Combat Base, Qu?ng Nam Province, South Vietnam

Can your only son be drafted?

the “only son”, “the last son to carry the family name,” and ” sole surviving son” must register with Selective Service. These sons can be drafted. However, they may be entitled to peacetime deferment if there is a military death in the immediate family.

What was the oldest age drafted in WWII?

On September 16, 1940, the United States instituted the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, which required all men between the ages of 21 and 45 to register for the draft.

Can you refuse conscription?

A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. In some countries, conscientious objectors are assigned to an alternative civilian service as a substitute for conscription or military service.

What was the war in Vietnam over?

The Vietnam War pitted communist North Vietnam and the Viet Cong against South Vietnam and the United States. The war ended when U.S. forces withdrew in 1973 and Vietnam unified under Communist control two years later.

How many Kiwis died in Vietnam?

More than 3000 New Zealand military and civilian personnel served in Vietnam between 1963 and 1975. In contrast to the world wars, New Zealand's contribution was modest. At its peak in 1968, New Zealand's military force numbered only 548. Thirty-seven men died while on active service and 187 were wounded.

How many Aussies died in the Vietnam War?

In 1964, the National Service Act introduced a scheme of selective conscription in Australia, designed to create an army of 40,000 full-time soldiers. Many of them were sent on active service to the war in Vietnam. 521 Australians died during the Vietnam War and around 3000 were wounded.

Why was conscription a bad thing?

One downside of conscription is that the time in the military can be quite hard. For many people, it is the first time away from home for a longer period of time and they might not be mentally prepared for this. Some people may feel quite lonely and may also not be able to deal with the strict rules in the military.

How many Vietnamese died in the Vietnam War?

In 1995 Vietnam released its official estimate of the number of people killed during the Vietnam War: as many as 2,000,000 civilians on both sides and some 1,100,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died.

Why was there a Vietnam draft?

Origins. The lottery of 1969 was conceived to address perceived inequities in the draft system as it existed previously, and to add more military personnel towards the Vietnam War. By the end of 1965, President Johnson had sent 82,000 troops to Vietnam, and his military advisors wanted another 175,000.

Who was exempt from conscription?

The National Service (Armed Forces) Act imposed conscription on all males aged between 18 and 41 who had to register for service. Those medically unfit were exempted, as were others in key industries and jobs such as baking, farming, medicine, and engineering.

Why was the Vietnam draft Unfair?

The draft for the Vietnam War brought with it anxiety and anger to many American households. The draft was viewed as unequal because the working class man's only choice was to go to war, while the wealthy men would go to college or enlist in the National Guard.

When was the last person drafted for Vietnam?

The last draft call was on December 7, 1972, and the authority to induct expired on June 30, 1973. The date of the last drawing for the lottery was on March 12, 1975. Registration with the Selective Service System was suspended on April 1, 1975, and registrant processing was suspended on January 27, 1976.

Does the draft still exist?

There has not been a draft in the U.S. since 1973, when Congress allowed the existing draft authorization, conscripting men into service in the Vietnam War, to expire. Two years later, President Gerald Ford suspended men's responsibility to register for the draft.

How hot did it get in Vietnam?

Extremes. The highest temperature ever recorded in Vietnam was 43.4 °C (110.1 °F), which was recorded in Hương Khe District, Hà Tĩnh Province on 20 April 2019. The coldest temperature recorded in Vietnam was −6.1 °C (21.0 °F) in Sa Pa on 4 January 1974.

Does the draft violate the 13th Amendment?

There has also been some question raised about the draft in regards to the 13th Amendment. However, the courts have ruled that the intent of the 13th was never to abolish the draft, and that serving in the military, even against your will, is not involuntary servitude.

What was the main goal of American combat soldiers in Vietnam?

As far as official US policy is concerned their main goal or objective was to help the South Vietnamese defeat the communist Vietcong and North Vietnamese army.

What excludes you from the draft?

There are age, citizenship, physical, education, height/weight, criminal record, medical, and drug history standards that can exclude you from joining the military.

Did high schoolers get drafted to Vietnam?

Over the course of the war, about 8.8 million men saw duty in Vietnam. * Under draft regulations, all men ages 18 to 25 were required to register with the Selective Service System, generally on their 18th birthday. Men could be drafted any time from age 19 to 26.

Can you be drafted if you have asthma?

When it comes to avoiding the draft, flat feet are still effective. Bunions, severe eye infections, bum knees and asthma also could exempt young men from military service, said Defense Department spokeswoman Susan Hansen.

How long are you eligible for the draft?

All men 18 years and older had to register with the Selective Service. All men between the ages of 18 to 25 were eligible to be drafted for a service requirement of 21 months.

Was my birthday called in the draft?

Draft age men were assigned a number between 1 and 366, depending on their birthday. The lowest numbers were called first. This was all entirely at random. Of course, that didn't stop some of those who were called to service from further avoiding Selective Service.