22. Fact: About 25% of the troops which served in the combat zones were draftees
According to statistics kept by the US Army, and corroborated by other sources, approximately 25% of the troops which served in combat roles in Vietnam were drafted into military service. This fact does not take into account the number of men who joined other branches of the military in order to exempt themselves from the draft. Others managed to evade the draft by performing national service in the National Guard, and others sought college deferments. Some received medical deferments for conditions such as bone spurs. The draft was clearly more likely to target those who had less access to options which exempted them, and thus members of lower socioeconomic standing were more likely to be caught in its mesh. Still, not all draftees were sent to serve in combat units. The percentage of troops sent to Vietnam that actually saw combat is debated, particularly among veterans, with some claiming up to 100%, and others less than ten%.
