TOUR OF DUTY

I would like to dedicate this page to a student who was doing research for a school paper and was trying to find out what the tour of duty was for a soldier in Vietnam.

During the course of the Vietnam conflict, or more commonly referred to as the Vietnam war, young men who had reached their 19th birthday would register with their local draft board. Before entering military service every man and woman (women could enlist, but were not drafted) would have a physical examination to determine if they were fit for military duty. The results of the physical and other factors would determine each persons classification for the draft.

Someone in good health would be classified as "1-A" unless there was reason for a different classification or some type of deferment. Those who were able to attend college and maintain a required grade average could obtain a college deferment. Many decided to enlist into the National Guard or the various branches of the military or wait to see if they would receive a draft notice to report for military duty. As a protest against the Vietnam war, some decided to leave the U.S. and go to Canada to avoid the draft.

Vietnam War Era Draft

SELECTIVE SERVICE CLASSIFICATIONS
CLASS I	CLASS II

Class I-A:	Registrant available for military service.	Class II-S:	Student deferment.
Class I-A-O:	Conscientious objector registrant available for noncombatant military service only.	Class III
Class I-C:	Member of the Armed Forces of the United States, Environmental Science Services Administration, or the Public Health Service.	Class III-A:	Extreme hardship deferment, or registrant with a child or children.
Class I-D:	Qualified member of reserve component, or student taking military training, including ROTC and accepted aviation cadet applicant.	Class IV
Class I-O:	Conscientious objector available for civilian work contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety, or interest.	Class IV-A:	Registrant with sufficient prior active service or who is a sole surviving son.
Class I-S:	Student deferred by law until graduation from high school or attainment of age of 20, or until end of his academic year at a college or university.	Class IV-B:	Official deferred by law.
Class I-W:	Conscientious objector performing civilian work contributing to the maintenance of the national health, safety, or interest, or who has completed such work.	Class IV-C:	Alien not currently liable for military service.
Class I-Y:	Registrant qualified for military service only in time of war or national emergency.	Class IV-D:	Minister of religion or divinity student.
CLASS II		Class IV-F:	Registrant not qualified for any military service.
Class II-A:	Occupational deferment (which includes apprentice training).	Class V
Class II-C:	Agricultural deferment.	Class V-A:	Registrant over the age of liability for military service.
SPECIAL NOTICE A registrant who was deferred on or before his 26th birthday has his liability extended to his 35th birthday.

A lottery system was instituted during the summer of 1969 where every young man who had registered with their draft board would receive a number determined by the lottery drawing. This at least allowed them to know if they would be drafted or if it was a possibility or with a high enough number, not a chance of being drafted, unless the war escalated into a national emergency.

It didn't matter if someone enlisted or was drafted, by law they had a six year military obligation that could be fulfilled in various ways. The six year obligation could be 6 or more years of active duty or 4 years of active military reserve or national guard and 2 years of inactive reserve duty. Anyone who served 4 years of active duty then had 2 years of inactive reserves. If their active duty was only for 2 years, then they had to fulfill 2 years of active reserve and 2 years of inactive reserves. If the person served in a combat zone the rest of their military obligation could be inactive reserves. For instance, I was drafted into the U.S. Army for 2 years of active duty and served in a combat zone, Vietnam, which meant I then had 4 years of inactive reserve duty.

In the early part of the Vietnam War, 1965 to 1969, the normal tour of duty was 12 months for most branches of the military, except the 13 month tour for Marines. It was not unusual for career soldiers, or those who were in the military long enough, to serve 2 or more tours of duty in Vietnam. Also, in some cases, soldiers were allowed to extend their tour from 12 months up to 14 months. By extending their tour, any time that would have been remaining for them to serve as stateside duty, would be waived and they would be discharged from the military.

From 1970 to the end of the war, troop withdrawals were starting and soldiers were being sent stateside before the normal 12 month tour was completed. This also meant, soldiers were not allowed to extend their tour in Vietnam to shorten their active duty commitment. My tour was shortened by 39 days, which meant instead of six, I had seven months to serve when I returned stateside to complete my 2 years in the U.S. Army.

It doesn't matter how long a soldier was in Vietnam, the deeply ingrained memories and feelings make the tour of duty last a lifetime.