Biden deferred, disqualified from Vietnam duty

SFGate ^ | Monday, September 1, 2008 | Randall Chase, Associated Press

[Brown Deer]

Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden received five student draft deferments during the Vietnam War...

Officials with Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's campaign released Biden's Selective Service records at the request of the Associated Press. Less detailed records were available from a National Archives facility in Philadelphia.

According to the documents, Biden, 65, received several deferments while he was an undergraduate at the University of Delaware and later as a law student at Syracuse University. A month after undergoing a physical exam in 1968, Biden received a Selective Service classification of 1-Y, meaning he was available for service only in the event of national emergency.

"As a result of a physical exam on April 5, 1968, Joe Biden was classified 1-Y and disqualified from service because of asthma as a teenager," said David Wade, a campaign spokesman.

In "Promises to Keep," a memoir that was published last year and became an instant bestseller after he was tapped as Obama's running mate, Biden never mentions his asthma, recounting an active childhood, work as a lifeguard and football exploits in high school.

According to records the Associated Press obtained from the National Archives, Biden registered Feb. 15, 1961, with the Selective Service, when he was an 18-year-old student at Archmere Academy in Wilmington, Del. The archives' documents do not include any information about his classification or physical exam.

Biden received a classification questionnaire in October 1963, when he was enrolled at the University of Delaware, and received his first 2-S student deferment a month later. Additional deferments were granted in roughly 12-month intervals, the last coming in January 1968.

[dfwgator]

Here comes the boomerang.

[Deaf Smith]

I never indicated that it was not relevant, it was just the posted age Biden.

I noted the age was due the story being from '08.

[nickcarraway]

If Trump ended the war in Afghanistan, the election would be over.

[zeestephen]

From memory, I think deferments for grad school ended in October, 1968.

Graduate divinity school was still fully exempt. And, medical students could still choose full deferment, but I think that obligated them for two years of “government” service after graduation.

The Draft Lottery for undergrads started in late 1969.

You could still keep your 2-S deferment until graduation, but most grads got their “Greetings from the Selective Service” letter a month or two after graduation.

[stylin19a]

I watched the west side ( madison ave, mostly - south side was strangely quiet - rumor Rangers made a deal with the cops) go up in flames from the Monky Wards building downtown state street during the riots...