The Selective Service Act was signed into law in 1940 by President Franklin Roosevelt. The purpose was to insure that the military services maintained adequate numbers of personnel for national defense. This system of non-voluntary military service become known as the "Draft". Predominantly, the "draft" assisted the U.S. Army in their personnel requirements but on occasion the Department of Navy (U.S. Navy and Marine Corps) also received some assistance from the "draft" during World War II.

Prior to 1973, every young man that turned 18 expected to find his "Draft Notice" in the mail. Districts were set up in each state, normally using county borders as jurisdictions. A "Draft Board" was established for each district and citizens of the area would serve on the Selection Board. They would receive a quota each month. Once a month, this board would then select men within their boundaries to report for their physical examination and possible induction into the military.

I was one of those men. I was a resident of Homer, Alaska and received my "Notice of Induction". The only problem was that I received the "Draft Notice" in January 1964 and had been serving in the Navy since October 1963.

With the escalation of the Vietnam War in 1965, the war and the draft were the primary objects of the "War Protests" in the early 1970's. The United States become involved in Vietnam after the French left Vietnam. Commencing in the early 1960's, we were sending in "Advisers" to assist and train the military forces of South Vietnam. The war escalated following the "Tonkin Gulf Incident" in August 1964 when two U.S. Navy ships were fired upon by vessels from North Vietnam. In March 1965, President Johnson ordered our first military forces into Vietnam.

In 1973, the Selective Service System curtailed the "drafting" of men into the military, although the "Draft Boards" remained in effect. The military services commenced the "All Volunteer" military services and extra emphasis was placed in the recruitment of men and women. It has now been 36 years since the draft ended. However, it was not abolished. Today, all men are required by law to register for the Selective Service System.

Although verbose, I thought it important to touch on the history of the "Draft" before you listen to the music that I have linked to this posting. This song was #61 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1962. The "Four Preps" parodied several vocal groups . They satirized the "Platters", "Marcels", "Dick and Dee Dee", "Four Ace's", "Highwaymen", and "Dion". Although there are some great sounds and satire; what got my attention was that the "Four Preps" were able to forecast the civil unrest in our country during the height of the Vietnam War several years prior to the protest marches.