Every draftee or “draft induced volunteer” over the 35-year period of American military conscription has a different story to tell of their interaction with the draft and military service. Tragically, for many, entry into wartime service was the last experience of their young years. For others more fortunate military service was an experience that shaped the rest of our lives. We offer eight accounts in our biographies that follow. We are all in our 70s and 80s with most of our lives behind us. Our military experiences help define the American military to the two generations of Americans that have grown up without even Jonathan Yardley’s experience of brief exposure to mandatory military service.