University of Virginia Library

Bice Answers Draft Queries

Raymond C. Bice, military information coordinator for the University,
has had an increasingly large number of questions about the draft lately
result of the recent policy changes. In an effort to save some students
the trouble of going to see him. Mr. Bice prepared the following three
commonly as general questions and their for publication in
The Cavalier Daily.—Ed.

Q. I am a first-year man in the College who passed 14 hours
the first semester, and am enrolled for 15 hours this semester.
Must I go to summer school to retain a II-S deferment?

A. Local Boards are directed to retain in Class II-S those students
who earn 25% of the necessary semester hours for
a degree (assuming a four year program). The executive
order covering this provides some way in the case of a
first-year student who earns somewhat less than the required
number of hours if the school is convinced that this
deficiency will not delay the expected date of completion
of his course of study. It is the intent of the executive order
that the student should receive his degree in the normal
and specified length of time.

Q. I am a fourth-year man completing my requirements for a
B.A. to be conferred this June. If I drop a course or fail to
take the comprehensive examinations in May of 1968, may
I be classified II-S for another session so that I may receive
my degree?

A. The executive order provides a student deferment for eight
semesters, not deferment until a degree is received. Local
Boards may however continue the student deferment longer
than specified when the delay is due to illness or other
factors beyond the control of the student.

Q. I am 21 years old and am due to receive a B.A. degree in
June of 1968, and have been accepted by the law school
for next session. May I accept the admission offer, or does
the February 16 ruling mean I am to be drafted?

A. The executive order provides that your II-S deferment is to
be terminated in June. Assuming you are not eligible for
some other deferment (such as for physical disqualification)
you will be reclassified I-A after you receive your degree
and could be called. However the oldest are to be called
first, and there is a reasonable chance that you might finish
at least a year of law school before you are called. Some
210,000 young men will be available, and present thinking
is that just over 100,000 men will be needed. Of course if
draft calls are increased, your chances for a year of postgraduate
study would worsen.