Draft Dodging

“So what yah think of all this draft dodger news lately concerning you know who?” asked Margaret.

Kevin replied, “Here’s the thing. In 1967, back when there was a draft, that nut case friend of mine at the electronics store, years before when he was working GTE he was gonna get a deferment from GTE. He got drafted before the deferment came through, eventually got put into the Army, became an infantryman, then got sent off to war. He’s in his 70s now. You know how old people get, He lives in the past, is always yakkin’ about it.”

Kevin took another bite of his supper while Margaret asked, “Why did he get a deferment?”

Kevin took another bite, swallowed, said “He was gonna be sent to Europe, Rotta Spain I think. There he was supposed to install and connect telephone switching gear to an Earth station communicating to a satellite in geosynchronous orbit. However he was working on another project in Stateline, Nevada when he got drafted.”

“How is this possible, how did he get drafted when he had a deferment?

Kevin replied, “Get this, the deferment didn’t come thru ‘til after he got drafted. The Army said it was too late.”

Margaret nodded, then said, “You know, all you guys in college got 2S deferments. How you feel about that?”

“I think it was all political. That’s loco. The party in power at that time was looking for votes. They lost to Nixon anyway. My friend told me that when Nixon was elected they thought they were going home. Didn’t happen, though Nixon did end the draft.”

“Interesting" said Margaret.

Born in 1947, C.E. Gee (he also answers to "Chuck" or "Pappy") misspent his youth at backwater locales within Oregon and Alaska.

He’s answered many callings: logger, factory worker, meat packer, infantryman (Vietnam war draftee, 1968), telecommunications technician, volunteer fireman and EMT, light show roady, businessperson, webmaster.

Retired, also a severely disabled veteran (PTSD), Chuck now writes Science Fiction.

His blog is at https://kinzuakid.blogspot.com

Find more by C. E. Gee in the Author Index.

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