# Well, it's official. I've been appointed to the local Draft Board. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 22, 2004, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335 "2004-07-22T13:30:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/21 "2004-07-23T13:40:36Z")
> [@Kilt-wearin' man](#): > > Hey **wolf\_meister** , let’s be fair to the celebs, too - not all of them dodged service or exaggerated their time in the military. > > **Clark Gable** joined the Army Air Corps as a lieutennant, mostly as a morale-building “look, there’s a celebrity among us” sort of thing. He voluntarily flew several combat missions as a waist gunner on heavy bomber missions over Germany - not the sort of thing he was there to do at all, but it certainly helped build morale among the enlisted crewmen. > > **James Stewart** was a bomber navigator in the Army Air Corps and flew combat missions on a regular basis over occupied Europe. After the war he remained in the Air Force Reserve, finally retiring as a brigadier general. > > **Ted Williams** was a fighter pilot in the Marine Corps. Although World War II ended before he was posted to a combat unit, he was recalled to active duty during the Korean War and flew Panther jets on combat missions, including the famous attacks on the bridges at Toko-Ri. Gene Kelly also joined the Navy during World War 2, and Elvis Presley did a stint in the Army. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/22 "2004-07-23T15:03:40Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > **Robert Engler** (former Republican Governor of Michigan) was _ **2 pounds overweight** _ during his physical. And we _know_ he _must_ have tried to pass that. :rolleyes: _John_ Engler. And apparently he’s still putting on weight to avoid the risk of being drafted [(Pic, he’s on the left)](http://www.ontariocanada.com/ontcan/en/PDF_HTML/Priority-1/pdf_images/OBR-2002-august-page2-1.jpg) Happy ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/23 "2004-07-23T22:12:34Z")
At the risk of turning this into an “ask the draft board member…” thread: If I were american, which, if any, of the following conditions would get me tossed out: -Was about 25 lb overweight but otherwise in ok health -Was an insulin dependant diabetic, but well controlled, and athletically & academically gifted. -Was a medication dependant asthmatic, well controlled, but only able to run 1 mile or so (good academics) -Had flat feet but otherwise athletically & academically gifted -Had sever nearsightedness but corrected with coke-bottle glasses to 20/20 and otherwise athletically & academically gifted -Was an epileptic under medication, but with no siezures in the past 5 years, and otherwise a good athlete and scholar. I figure any of the above conditions would preclude a candiate from joining the Marines, but in this age of RPVs and beyond-visual-range, a person with any of the above could still be a radar/sonar operator, clerk, linguist/analyst, technician, programmer, air-tanker operator, weather forecaster, telecom tech, etc. etc. So what’s the scoop? Can folks who can’t do forced marches or hump a pack & rifle 25 miles still serve? ---
**Author:** ![theR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@theR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theR)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/24 "2004-07-23T22:26:47Z")
**trupa** , I believe all the medical conditions you listed would disqualify one from military service. I’m not 100% sure, especially about the flat feet, weight, and nearsightedness. The diabetes, epilepsy, and asthma are almost certain because one can’t be guaranteed access to medication in conditions such as combat or training for combat, and any of those three conditions can easily render a person functionally useless if one doesn’t have access to the medication. **Mr.Moto** , If I may ask, how old are your twins? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2004, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/25 "2004-07-23T23:02:31Z")
Jeez **trupa** , I think you need to go see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/26 "2004-07-24T01:08:51Z")
Selective service board members don’t evaluate recruits or draftees for medical fitness. That’s not our job. That part is handled by the Military MEPS station. [This sequence of events in a draft might explain things.](http://www.sss.gov/seq.htm) My twins are now twenty months old, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/27 "2004-07-24T01:19:18Z")
Lucky for me I’m old enough not to qualify and have no vhildren to worry about. Mr. Moto, is what you are undergoing a routine peacetime event, or are you part of some new general “mobilization” of the Selective Service System? IIRC Donald Runsfeld testified just a few weeks ago that he “couldn’t imagine” re-instituting the draft. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/28 "2004-07-24T02:25:46Z")
Selective Service local boards have been in place for a long long time. What is perceived as a mobilization is really just filling in vacancies that should have been filled a long time ago. Keep in mind that the draft cannot be reinstituted without congressional say-so. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/29 "2004-07-24T02:32:39Z")
Thank you for that clarification. Do you know whether your position was vacant because of a lack of volunteers to fill it, or are you replacing someone at the en of their term of service? Are there a large number of similar positions unfilled due to lack of volunteers? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335/30 "2004-07-24T03:29:48Z")
There are no terms. People volunteer for as long as they feel they are able, or until they move, or until they die. It’s not a stringent job. There’s a weekend of initial training, and annual refresher training. Apart from that, you’re on your own, unless the shooting starts. My understanding is that there are a large number of vacancies, due to the past several administrations not considering filling them a priority. I think people were unaware the boards existed anymore at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-its-official-ive-been-appointed-to-the-local-draft-board/256335.md?page=1)