Hi
Were governors of states during call-up/the draught during WWII/Korean War/Vietnam ever within their rights to withhold men from the draught? How far does a state’s governor’s powers extend?
I look forward to your feedback
I don’t think the governor of a state has the ability to in effect keep the federal government from drafting men (and women) into federal service. Why would you think he/she could?
During Vietnam there were local draft boards, and an appeals process. The draft board could withhold men for various reasons including local necessity but I don’t know any real details about that. There was also an appeals process if you disagreed with a draft board decision. It’s a federal process, AFAIK **spifflog **is right, it’s a federal process and the governor has no say.
During the Iraq War, some governors tried to stop the federal government from sending over their National Guard troops. It didn’t work.
In World War II my father was technically drafted into the Illinois National Guard (AKA, the “Militia”) and the National Guard was* then* federalized into the U.S. military. Except for a few rare cases the National Guard was NOT federalized during the Vietnam era.
I turned 18 during Nam, growing up in a very populous county with high draft calls. But at the time I officially resided with my respectable dad across the line in a much less crowded county with notably racist draft boards that grabbed minorities first. The local board told honky me that I could continue vagabonding as long as I let Dad know where I was twice a year. They never got around to drafting me. (I volunteered for the Army a few years later but that’s another story.)
No, a governor can’t withhold draftees. But corrupt local boards can draft someone else.
Thank you all. Very helpful