They "volunteered" for the draft????
How did they do that????
Did they travel back in time and change their birthdates
to correspond to a lower numbered ping-pong ball????
NO.
They just "volunteered".
They DID NOT "volunteer for the draft".
The ping pong ball were used only during the lottery years. (69-71 I believe.)
As funny as it may sound it was very possible to "volunteer" for the draft. I know. I did it.
For most young men at the time you registered for the draft at 18, got your draft card, and waited.
Or you went to college (or some other qualifying school) and got a 2S deferment.
Or you visited your friendly recruiter and volunteered.
Or you called your local draft board, as I did, and asked them to send you a draft notice. I had mine in a matter of days and two weeks later was a "US" with a two year commitment like all the other draftees (unlike volunteers who were RAs with 3 and 4 year obligations).