I can attest to the fact that the lottery for the draft did not go into effect until 1970.
My birthday, July 11, had already been matched with #248. When I finished college in June of '69, I was reclassified 1A. Passed my "pre-induction physical" that summer and got my draft notice in early November with orders to report later that month but I was no longer living in the county where my draft board was so they told me to ignore it, that I would get another notice to report at a different date and place (in the county where I was living at that time). Along in December, I was notified to report on January 27, 1970. My #248 mattered not at all, since I had been notified in 1969. Around noon that day, I was sworn in as a Private in the USMC. Yeehaw.
Thanks for your service and the info!
My husband was part of the Draft Lottery. We were college students at the time.
Sounds like me - I found out on my birthday Jan 14 in 1970 that my draft number was 300 something - I can't remember - I was in the Que Son Mountains when I got the word.
Marine, thank you for your service to our country. In September 1969 I was in senior year ROTC.
My draft lottery number was: 8
I was commissioned in 1970, flew helicopters in Vietnam, and am currently a volunteer for Iraq as CW4 USAR.
Pressed Send too soon. My point was that the lottery was held in 1969 to determine the order of the draft in 1970.
So, you are correct in the way you phrased your reply. However, the draft lottery was first held in 1969, as stated in the post you replied to.