# Question regarding how the draft-dodging system worked

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-how-the-draft-dodging-system-worked/725586>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 19, 2015, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-how-the-draft-dodging-system-worked/725586 "2015-07-19T05:46:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 70

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**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-regarding-how-the-draft-dodging-system-worked/725586/70 "2015-07-21T03:21:22Z")

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> [@davidmich](#):
>
> So high numbers were good and low numbers were bad. Was that the case?  
> According to this link who would have fared well?  
> [The Vietnam War Selective Service Lottery and the U.S. Draft | HistoryNet](http://www.historynet.com/whats-your-number.htm)
> 
> Al Gore: 030, March 31, 1948  
> Oliver Stone: 113, September 14, 1946  
> Sylvester Stallone: 327, July 6, 1946  
> Billy Crystal: 354, March 14, 1947

That was answered in this quote from the earlier thread [Vietnam era draft lottery question](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=175129).

> [@Vietnam era draft lottery question](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vietnam-era-draft-lottery-question/166634/6):
>
> More info from an official source:
> 
> **1969 Lottery** - "A lottery drawing - the first since 1942 - was held on December 1, 1969, at Selective Service National Headquarters in Washington, D.C. This event determined the order of call for induction during calendar year 1970, that is, for registrants born between January 1, 1944, and December 31, 1950. Reinstitution of the lottery was a change from the “draft the oldest man first” method, which had been the determining method for deciding order of call.
> 
> "There were 366 blue plastic capsules containing birth dates placed in a large glass container and drawn by hand to assign order-of-call numbers to all men within the 18-26 age range specified in Selective Service law.
> 
> "With radio, film and TV coverage, the capsules were drawn from the container, opened, and the dates inside posted in order. The first capsule - drawn by Congressman Alexander Pirnie (R- NY) of the House Armed Services Committee - contained the date September 14, so all men born on September 14 in any year between 1944 and 1950 were assigned lottery number 1. The drawing continued until all days of the year had been paired with sequence numbers. "
> 
> "The lottery drawing held December 1, 1969, determined the order in which men, born from 1944 through 1950, were called to report for induction into the military.
> 
> “ **The highest lottery number called for this group was 195** ; all men assigned that lottery number or any lower number, and who were classified 1-A or 1-A-O (available for military service), were called to report for possible induction.”
> 
> Source: [http://www.sss.gov/lotter1.htm](http://www.sss.gov/lotter1.htm)  
> **1970 Lottery** - "The lottery drawing held July 1, 1970, determined the order in which men born in 1951 were called to report for induction into the military.
> 
> “ **The highest lottery number called for this group was 125.** All men assigned that lottery number or any lower number, and who were classified 1-A or 1-A-O (available for military service), were called to report for possible induction.”
> 
> Source: [http://www.sss.gov/lotter2.htm](http://www.sss.gov/lotter2.htm)  
> **1971 Lottery** - "The lottery drawing held August 5, 1971, determined the order in which men born in 1952 were called to report for induction into the military.
> 
> “ **The highest lottery number called for this group was 95** ; all men assigned that lottery number or any lower number, and who were classified 1-A or 1-A-O (available for military service), were called to report for possible induction.”
> 
> Source: [http://www.sss.gov/lotter3.htm](http://www.sss.gov/lotter3.htm)
> 
> **1972 Lottery** - "The lottery drawing held February 2, 1972, determined the order in which men born in 1953 were called to report for induction into the military.
> 
> “This lottery was conducted for men who would have been called in 1973; however, no new draft orders were issued after 1972.”
> 
> Source: [http://www.sss.gov/lotter4.htm](http://www.sss.gov/lotter4.htm)
> 
> You will find charts for all lottery numbers on the respective web pages.

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