Emails (excerpted), Michael S. Foley, professor of American Political Culture and Political Theory, Department of American Studies, University of Groningen, The Netherlands, July 24-25, 2014

2:04 p.m.

July 24, 2014

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If nothing untoward was going on, then applying for and receiving a 2-S student deferment (prior to the introduction of the lottery in december 1969) was totally legal and millions of men did it.  That's not draft dodging, certainly not in the way that emigrating to Canada or faking a physical/mental ailment or getting an influential father to pull strings with the draft board would be considered draft dodging.  If, on the other hand, you believe that every draft age man should have made himself available for service during the Vietnam War, then that means 20+ million men were draft dodgers - a pretty extreme view.

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Michael Stewart Foley

Professor of American Political Culture and Political Theory

Interdisciplinary in Approach. Dynamic in Teaching. Relevant in Practice.

American Studies at the University of Groningen.

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Department of American Studies

Faculty of the Arts

University of Groningen

The Netherlands

11:07 a.m.

July 25, 2014

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I've never encountered anyone who received a 2-S after the lottery was introduced and, indeed, everyone I've interviewed formally or informally who was a college student in those years was certain that if they received a low number they'd be inducted - whether they were still enrolled in college or not.