The McAnallys, Reluctant Warriors - Part 2

...and then there was me.

It was January 1968. I was in a state of post adolescent depression. Two failed relationships, one lost athletic scholarship due to grades, a dead end job at a gas station, one half hearted attempt at returning to the football arena but failed to make the grades at a junior college that was a prerequisite, and a war in Viet Nam that didn't seem to want to go away. The only positive thing I had done in the last two years was to accumulate enough college hours to give me the status of a Junior if I ever did go back full time.

My draft status was a little iffy. I had a card in my pocket that said 2S, but the draft board didn't know I wasn't attending college right then and I expected a notice any day congratulating me on a 1A classification. I was so directionless though that I wish they would hurry up and send me a notice just to move things forward.

For some reason I still am not sure why, I decided that given the fact that I had two good college years under my belt, surly I could some how get another two, but when. If I got drafted into or joined the service by the time I got out I would have two whole years remaining and knowing myself like I did I was sure I would get side tracked and never complete my education. However, if I some how could eek out one more year, the one year remaining after my discharge would probably be doable. I devised a plan and went to see the Draft Board people.

I walked into the Draft Board office and went to see Charlotte. Every 18 year old boy in Independence knew her by name. She was the lady who made decisions about a young man's future. She didn't really make the decisions about who was classified as what, she just followed the rules governing the draft. I am sure she took no joy in being part of sending boys off to war.

"Charlotte," I said, "Here's the deal. You leave me alone for another year, let me get one more year of school under my belt, then you can have me."

"I don't know if we can do that,"she replied. "What was your name again?" I told her.

She walked over to a file cabinet searched through some cards, selected one, turned to me, handed me the card and said, "Here, you just saved the government six cents."

With my newly acquired 1A card and a feeling of sickness in my stomach I listlessly went to visit some friends at the Warrensburg Extensions Center to tell them my tale of woe. As I was walking down the hall I saw a sign on one of the doors that read, "You want to beat the draft?" I took another look and under the big words were something like "if so report to room 212 at 1400 this Tuesday." I did.

Central Missouri State College was just starting up an ROTC program. They needed Juniors and Seniors to comprise the senior cadre. My reasoning was that I was going to have to go to Viet Nam anyway it appeared so I might as well go as an officer so when I was shot at I would at least be making more money. Besides I would get to finish school and who knew, perhaps the war would be over by the time I was ready to go on active duty.

I took basic at Fort Benning, Georgia that summer, came back to CMSC, took the required classes, spent the next summer at Fort Riley, came back to CMSC, took the required classes and received my commission as a 2LT in the Infantry. Soon after that I received orders to report to Fort Benning for the Infantry Officers Basic Course the following January. I filled in for a teacher in Sedalia while I waited.

The army had contracted with several doctors in Sedalia to give pre- induction physicals. I happened to pick a doctor who had a child in my class. He gave me a proper physical, took me in his office and told me that that my sugar was at such a level that he could write the report either way. "Do you want to go or not?" he asked.

Many of my friends had gone, a few had been killed, there was a long line of family members who had served, I was now married, had a job at the school, and now all I had to do was to say no and I was out of any obligation and could always say it was for medical reasons. My pride and honor would remain in tack for the rest of the world. The doctor and I would be the only ones who knew.

"I cannot not go," I replied, " I have to."

Two weeks after my faithful decision and never wishing I had not been noble I received another letter from the Army. It said something like this: "We are sorry to inform you that your services as a full time Army Officers is no longer required. We have to many officers right now. You still have an obligation however to do one of the following..." One of those options was to join a National Guard unit. They had one in Sedalia. I walked in the door to see what they had to offer so as to fulfill my military requirement and walked back out the door 20 years and 9 months later.