By the late sixties the writing was on the wall, the anti-war movement was in full swing, and young American males were assigned lottery numbers to designate the order in which they would be drafted.
However, there were deferments to be had. If you were a full time student or involved in certain industries you would not be drafted until your status changed. These people were not considered draft dodgers. They were simply taking advantage of the opportunity not to get blown up in a far away land that by this time no one gave a crap about.
If your status changed you were given the dreaded 1A designation, i.e. draftable immediately, cannon fodder. at this time the draft dodger label was put into play.
You had three choices: 1. Raise your right hand and join up, 2. Leave the country to dodge the draft (usually Canada), or 3. Refuse to serve, go to jail and become the love object of a rather large man usually called Killer.
Of the three I joined, many fled, and some went to jail. There were no good choices. It was lose lose, and colleges were suddenly filled with young men who took many years to graduate.
You had to be there, and the only true dodgers were those who fled the country. Everyone else was just in survival mode.
You had three choices: 1. Raise your right hand and join up, 2. Leave the country to dodge the draft (usually Canada), or 3. Refuse to serve, go to jail and become the love object of a rather large man usually called Killer."
I was too young for the draft but I knew many people who were drafted and who served, some in Viet Nam, some other places.
I don't remember a single man from my neighborhood who took options 2 or 3(leave the country or jail).