Question for Vietnam vets

[shawn703]

I was wondering what the relationship was like between the people who volunteered to join during that time and those that were drafted. Did either group look down on the other or anything like that?

[TahitiNut]

1. In my unit, there was some degree of sparring.

We'd make disparaging remarks about "lifers" and they'd return the disdain. In basic training, the divisions were more pronounced. When I went through basic, they (the DI's) were fairly open about handing out the PFC promotions to 'RA' (Regular Army, i.e. voluntary enlistments) instead of draftees. Most draftees treated the volunteers as being somewhat deficient in the brain pan. It was common to ascribe the words "Regular Asshole" to the 'RA' serial number prefix. Socially (drinking and playing cards in the hooches), draftees and RA's pretty much kept separate, but not uniformly.

However (and it's a big however), when the shit hit the fan we were without any such animosities. It's my impression that combat arms units were pretty much the same.

Part of what made the segregation most evident was the fact that one's status as a 'RA' (voluntary) and 'US' (draftee) was constantly made clear. In basic training, we were required to announce our serial number to eat in the mess hall. It was one of the first things we'd know about each other. Even beyond basic training, preference in promotions was given to 'RA' ... it was their career, after all.

[Medical Speaking]

2. Amswer

Didnt make any difference, we were all soldiers. I did not know who was drafted and who inlisted.

Semper Fi

[TahitiNut]

3. There were very few draftees in the Marines.

:shrug:

[vetwife]

4. My husband and other vets have told me

He joined to have a choice before the draft. He knew he would be drafted. He joined the Army and was in the 101st. They were all in the same boat so they did not know who enlisted and who were drafted once they were fighting the fight and all I can say about the ones I have talked to is to watch Forrest Gump. Remember Forrest joined and Bubba was drafted. My husband said it was that way. No difference. He said there were lifers and career men and there was a difference there. Most of the guys could not stand lifers ! Lifers believed in everything and in every mission. No matter what ! Career men were just making a choice to retire.

[Ernesto]

5. True.... Marines were drafted starting in late '65.

This was the 1st time since the Korean war. As I recall, the Drill Instructors were pretty hard on the few draftees amongst us. As a volounteer recruit, it seemed to me that the draftees had gotten a pretty raw deal.... However, we "boots" pretty much agreed that we were ALL in the same "world of shit" (going to Vietnam).

[Bandit]

6. In Basic Training there were ..RA, US, ER, & NG

RA stood for Regular Army or enlisted. US was draftee, ER was Enlisted Reserve, and NG was National Guard. US and RA were pretty much treated the same. NG and ER were treated like shit. After we were sent to our units it never came up again. During my first tour they changed our serial numbers to become our social security numbers and after that no one ever knew who was what anyway. Our serial numbers began with our classification, RA, US, NG or ER Almost forty years later I still remember mine US 50302119

[TahitiNut]

7. US 549804**

:evilgrin: I'd forgotten about 'NG' ... but I don't recall 'ER.' :shrug: