The services always preferred men 18 or older.
College students. (They were draft age).
End of the draft; a new all volunteer military. New adult age was 18 (adult age during the war was age 21).
the Vietnam War.
In 1969, the Vietnam draft changed with the introduction of a lottery system, replacing the previous method of selecting draftees based on age and order of birthdates. This change was enacted to create a fairer and more random selection process amid growing public discontent and protests against the draft, which many viewed as disproportionately affecting lower-income individuals and minorities. The lottery aimed to alleviate some of the inequities associated with the draft while also addressing the increasing unrest and opposition to the Vietnam War.
All serious wars, e.g. Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, etc. the military needed men! So they drafted them. If they were healthy, physically normal, and draft age...THEY WERE DRAFTED! Unless they were rich or college students (college deferments) then they didn't have to serve their country. Education, criminal records, were worked out by the "system." E.g. go to prison or the military. No education? The military gave you one! (Yes...the GED).
They were draft age.
15 is the minimum age
In order to be drafted in the Confederate Draft, one must first meet the minimum age requirement before doing so. The minimum age requirement involved with the draft is at least 18 years of age.
France has a draft for males. Minimum age is 17, maximum is 35.
College students. (They were draft age).
End of the draft; a new all volunteer military. New adult age was 18 (adult age during the war was age 21).
During Vietnam, activists protested that the draft age was unconstitutional because 18-20 year olds could not vote since the legal voting age was 18.
During the Vietnam War, many Vietnam veterans criticized the U.S. government for forcing them to go to war at the age of eighteen but not allowing them to vote until age 21. As a result, the U.S. Constitution was amended in 1971, lowering the minimum voting age to 18.
The draft numbers for 1965 were part of the U.S. military draft system established during the Vietnam War era. In that year, the Selective Service System assigned lottery numbers based on birthdates, with the first draft lottery held on December 1, 1969, for men born in 1944 to 1950. However, in 1965 specifically, the draft was still based on classifications rather than a lottery system, and the numbers were assigned to registrants based on their age and deferments. The draft continued to evolve throughout the Vietnam War, impacting many young men in the U.S. during that time.
The US adult age was lowered from 21 to age 18. The draft was abolished, and an ALL Volunteer military was formed.
Both generals Westmoreland & Abrams, commanders in Vietnam, were age 52 in 1966; both fought against the Germans in WWII. The oldest US serviceman to die in Vietnam was age 62, the youngest man, which is disputed (some say he was younger) was age 16.
Adult age was lowered FROM age 21 TO 18. No draft; NEW ALL VOLUNTEER MILITARY.