I had no militray service but respect and thank those who do.

[Mushroom]

During the Vietnam war the Army offered 2 year sign up for low skill MOS jobs that had a very short training time.

Reference? Because I just looked, and could find absolutely no evidence that such a program exists. The absolutely shortest period of enlistment I could find in the Vietnam era was for three years, not two.

 

[Sunni Man]

Reference? Because I just looked, and could find absolutely no evidence that such a program exists. The absolutely shortest period of enlistment I could find in the Vietnam era was for three years, not two.

I'm the reference and experienced the pending anticipation of being drafted at age 19.
It was early 1970 and my lottery number was 100 and I was classified 1-A
The green machine was going to induct me in a few months.
I saw a brochure saying the Marines were looking for air craft mechanics. Figured I'd rather do that instead of carrying a rifle while walking thru rice paddies.
But the Marine recruiter told me I'd have to sign up for 6 years for that MOS.
Told him thanks, but no thanks.
The Army was offering to sign up guys like me that were expecting their "Greeting from the President" induction letter any day now to serve 2 years.
Of course the recruiter would try to get you to sign up for 3 years.
But would offer the 2 year deal rather than have you join the Navy, Marines, or Air Force. Because the Army recruiter needed the sign up numbers to get promotions and bonus money.
I personally, knew guys that got the 2 year sign up deal for a low skill short school to avoid becoming an infantry soldier.

As for me, when I got my letter telling my to report to the local court house on April 1st for my induction into the service.
I decided to just stick with the MOS the Army decided to put me into. Went to school for Armor then placed into an Armored vehicle regiment.
Got an Honorable discharge after my 2 year conscription was completed.

 

[Mushroom]

I'm the reference

In other words, you have none. Because I did look for this mysterious "two year enlistment program", and came up with absolutely nothing.

That is not even "good anecdotal evidence", as I could find absolutely nothing about this anywhere. Every single reference I could find about actual enlistments in that era only discussed 3-6 year enlistments. Not a single one out of more than a dozen ever mentioned a two year enlistment. Which makes absolutely no sense, as that is the same amount of time a draftee would serve, so gives absolutely no benefit to the military.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

I enlisted in 1968 shortly after failing out of college, knowing that I would presently be drafted. I took an additional year in order to get the schooling that I wanted. Not surprisingly, my draft notice came to my home while I was at Basic Training at Fort Jackson SC.

I stupidly signed up for a course called, "Stock Control and Accounting," which basically taught how to fill out self-explanatory forms and count rolls of toilet paper. But while I was being processed from Basic, a sergeant in Personnel noticed my aptitude test scores, called me out of the line, and offered me OJT in Personnel in place of the course I was signed for. After a year or so at Ft Lee, VA, I volunteered to go to Vietnam, because I did not want to be a total spectator in the Event that defined my generation.

With my Personnel MOS, I knew that I would be assigned to a Headquarters, and not someplace out in the boondocks. After some bouncing around over there, I was sent to Danang, where I was safe from harm, and the only hardship was long hours (12 x 7), and I was able to save a ton of money by virtue of my tax exemption, hazardous duty pay and overseas pay. Which was nice.

I used the GI Bill to complete my Bachelor's Degree, getting a JD on my own.

The word, "Hero" is almost always used promiscuously in our society. A "hero" is someone who voluntarily risks his life for the protection of strangers, hence EVERY American soldier, sailor, airman, police officer, fire fighter, and other first responders are HERO's, and one should never forget that. It doesn't matter if they are computer programmers in DC or piloting a helicopter in a combat zone. The fact that they SIGNED UP implicitly means that they WERE PREPARED TO sacrifice themselves for the safety and security of Americans.

When I say, "Thank you for your service," it is that implicit heroism that is what I am thankful for.

The Preordained: Decade After Decadent Decade, Generation After Degenerate Generation

I got offered the same deal when I arrived in Vietnam. The Company Clerk looked at my test score (152 IQ) and asked me to do office work. I refused, telling him I didn't volunteer for Vietnam so I could kill Commies with a typewriter.

One of our Legal clerks felt the same way, finally volunteering for combat because he didn't want to be ashamed when a future son asked him, "What did you do in the war, Daddy?"

The majority of the Boomer generation had the same attitude their fathers had in World War II. The media selfishly portrayed the spoiled bossy snobs who were born in the 1% as representing the whole generation.

 

[Sunni Man]

In other words, you have none. Because I did look for this mysterious "two year enlistment program", and came up with absolutely nothing.

Get a grip numb nuts.
I never said there was a "two year enlistment program".

It was an inducement Army recruiters offered to guys that would soon be receiving their draft notice and didn't want to be in the infantry.
Army recruiters used it to increase their enlistment numbers in order to get promotions and cash bonuses.

 

[Mushroom]

Get a grip numb nuts.
I never said there was a "two year enlistment program".

It was an inducement Army recruiters offered to guys that would soon be receiving their draft notice and didn't want to be in the infantry.
Army recruiters used it to increase their enlistment numbers in order to get promotions and cash bonuses.

During the Vietnam war the Army offered 2 year sign up for low skill MOS jobs that had a very short training time.

Got it, so you are changing your story, and also not changing your story. Makes no sense, but whatever.

 

[Sunni Man]

Got it, so you are changing your story, and also not changing your story. Makes no sense, but whatever.

Don't be such a tard.
I've tried to explain it to you over and over again; several different ways; to no avail.
But apparently you've read some articles or searched the internet about the subject.
So now you think you're an expert on the subject.
I can assure you that you are not.
While you were still in diapers.
I was caught up in the whirlwind of events that are being discussed.

 

[Woodznutz]

My dad and all my uncles served in World War Two. They were all in the Pacific Theater. When my dad died in 2008 we got his militray records. He had three Bronze Stars. I never saw them and he never talked about them. I found out later from others that that is not unusual.

Many veterans believe that such medals are rightly for the fallen, not those who survive.

 

[Woodznutz]

Actually, that 25% figure is true, but misleading.
A lot of guys with low lottery numbers didn't want to be drafted into the infantry.
So they went to the local Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, recruiting office before receiving their induction letter in the mail, and joined up into a speciality MOS field.
(mechanic, cook, truck driver, clerk, etc.)

Although, many still went to Vietnam, they were not counted as being drafted.
Which is why that only 25% of Vietnam soldiers were drafted statistic is kinda bogus.

Many active military units, with a mix of draftees and enlistees, were sent over. The draft predated Vietnam.

 

[d0gbreath]

On my 18th birthday I was released from being a card carrying USAF dependent. Then I went and signed up with the selective service. I received a 1-H. I asked the man what does the 'H' stand for? "Hold over".
I was one year too young to be drafted. Lucky me!