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2/2/72: Life in the Draft
The results of the Draft Lottery completely change a young college student’s plans. I must deal with the draft and the military, not as subjects of a campus debate, but personal decisions and required actions. Beginning on that day in February, the next few years are a wild ride of duty, challenge, and fun. From a college campus in Colorado to Europe and the Middle East, this is life in the draft, an exploration of new horizons.
168 pages, Paperback
Published June 5, 2017
154 people want to read
About the author
David Williamson
5 books30 followersDavid Williamson is a Vietnam Era veteran and a story teller. The basic events in Williamson’s adventures are similar to the events of many other young men of that period, when they faced college life with the controversy over the Vietnam War and the draft overshadowing their plans. The Vietnam War was a difficult time for America and a challenging time to be a young man with a low draft number. Once he knew his Draft number, he enlisted in the US Air Force and gained a wealth of experience while stationed in Germany.
When he completed his military service he returned to college and graduated with honors in history, from the University of Colorado. He taught history and geography, and coached football and basketball for twenty years in public high schools. As a teacher Williamson told students some stories of his adventures. Students convinced they would hate history, loved his class, well at least they loved the stories.
Students became engrossed in the tales of the craziness and fun of college life, but they also hear about the Vietnam War and the draft. As a historian he was able to place the stories in the context of history that shaped the events. Things changed dramatically when he received a low draft number and like many other students he faced difficult decisions. Williamson told students of his dealings with the national draft lottery, Local Draft Board #9, recruiters, and his enlistment options.
Students follow him through his journey, sometimes funny and sometimes difficult, to Basic and Technical training, where he learned to live and work in the military. They then fly with Williamson on the worst crossing of the Atlantic Ocean since the Titanic, to his duty station in Wiesbaden, Germany. He told students stories of military life and work for GIs in Germany in the military during early 1970s. He also shared background information and stories about the US military involvement in Europe. The Cold War was not just a topic in a history class, but was an ever present force that directly affected life in Europe for civilians and military personnel. Life is a little different knowing there are missiles that could destroy your town or military base, aimed at you, and they are only minutes away.
Williamson traveled extensively while he was in Germany. The stories of his travels presented an opportunity to share bits and pieces of European history. Williamson told students stories, ranging from visits to the city gates of Wiesbaden built by the Romans, to the halls of the Houses of Parliament where England decided to send the Red Coat soldiers to fight a little war in America. He told stories of castles on the Rhine River and dropping candy to kids in Berlin during the Berlin Airlift.
His story of a visit to a concentration camp gives students a background for understanding the continued struggles and fighting in the Middle East. Williamson told them of the time he was in Germany when another Arab/Israel war breaks out and how this changed his military duties and life in Europe. He also told them of continuing problems such as terrorist attacks just outside his barracks window and forced changes to his flight plans. He explained the pressure of oil boycotts on Europe, with the story of a most unusual football game which they played on the autobahn during a mandatory no drive day. The threat of a terrorist attack delays his trip to Israel. When he finally get to go, he lands in the dark due to reports of an attack from jets from Egypt.
Williamson missed telling stories, but the last few years of his teaching career he worked as an assistant principal. When he retired it was from the same high school where he graduated nearly forty years before. Williamson now lives with his wife of more than 38 years, and writes books to give a wider audience an opportunity to enjoy his stories.
When he completed his military service he returned to college and graduated with honors in history, from the University of Colorado. He taught history and geography, and coached football and basketball for twenty years in public high schools. As a teacher Williamson told students some stories of his adventures. Students convinced they would hate history, loved his class, well at least they loved the stories.
Students became engrossed in the tales of the craziness and fun of college life, but they also hear about the Vietnam War and the draft. As a historian he was able to place the stories in the context of history that shaped the events. Things changed dramatically when he received a low draft number and like many other students he faced difficult decisions. Williamson told students of his dealings with the national draft lottery, Local Draft Board #9, recruiters, and his enlistment options.
Students follow him through his journey, sometimes funny and sometimes difficult, to Basic and Technical training, where he learned to live and work in the military. They then fly with Williamson on the worst crossing of the Atlantic Ocean since the Titanic, to his duty station in Wiesbaden, Germany. He told students stories of military life and work for GIs in Germany in the military during early 1970s. He also shared background information and stories about the US military involvement in Europe. The Cold War was not just a topic in a history class, but was an ever present force that directly affected life in Europe for civilians and military personnel. Life is a little different knowing there are missiles that could destroy your town or military base, aimed at you, and they are only minutes away.
Williamson traveled extensively while he was in Germany. The stories of his travels presented an opportunity to share bits and pieces of European history. Williamson told students stories, ranging from visits to the city gates of Wiesbaden built by the Romans, to the halls of the Houses of Parliament where England decided to send the Red Coat soldiers to fight a little war in America. He told stories of castles on the Rhine River and dropping candy to kids in Berlin during the Berlin Airlift.
His story of a visit to a concentration camp gives students a background for understanding the continued struggles and fighting in the Middle East. Williamson told them of the time he was in Germany when another Arab/Israel war breaks out and how this changed his military duties and life in Europe. He also told them of continuing problems such as terrorist attacks just outside his barracks window and forced changes to his flight plans. He explained the pressure of oil boycotts on Europe, with the story of a most unusual football game which they played on the autobahn during a mandatory no drive day. The threat of a terrorist attack delays his trip to Israel. When he finally get to go, he lands in the dark due to reports of an attack from jets from Egypt.
Williamson missed telling stories, but the last few years of his teaching career he worked as an assistant principal. When he retired it was from the same high school where he graduated nearly forty years before. Williamson now lives with his wife of more than 38 years, and writes books to give a wider audience an opportunity to enjoy his stories.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 10, 2017
2/2/72: Life in the Draft is an excellent read, fun and very educational. After just finishing two books about concentration camps, I can't agree more with David Williamson that people shall never ever forget Dachau, a concentration camp in WWII Germany and an important chapter of the book Williamson asks the reader not to skip, and other existing camps all over the world where innocent people are still suffering from terror and torture.
November 14, 2017
Pretty good book about a college student during the Vietnam draft who chooses to join the Air Force only to find out that the draft ended shortly after he went in.The story continues following his career in the Air Force and after getting out getting a teaching job. Pretty good read but would like to have had more stories and a little bit longer.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews