University of Virginia Library

Draft Boards Issue Notices

By PARKES BRITTAIN

The new draft law, signed this
September, is beginning to have its effect
upon first-year students throughout the
country.

Full-time students last year who made
satisfactory academic progress may
continue to apply for H-S deferments
until their graduation. The new law,
however, abolishes these deferments for
all students entering college for the first time
this fall.

Letters are being sent during this month to
first-year students who were born in 1952 and
whose lottery numbers are under 50 to report
for their pre-induction physicals during the first
week of December.

All first-year students born in 1952 are
eligible for induction as of January 1, 1972.
Those born in 1953 will have their lottery next
summer and will not be eligible for induction
until January, 1973.

The Harvard Crimson reports a number of
students applying for medical deferments,
including those that deal with psychiatric
problems. William B. Schendel, Selective
Service advisor in the Office for Graduate and
Career Plans at Harvard, also noted that, "the
percentage of Conscientious Objector
applications that are accepted is higher than
people think."

"It may be as high as 50 per cent," he
added. "It's unfortunate that more people
don't try for the CO." Other students are
considering the Federal Reserves, National
Guard or ROTC as a means to avoid Army
Service.

Janis E. Greene, another Selective Service
advisor, also suggested in the Crimson that,
"since students must be permitted to complete
course work before induction, in the future,
students might take indivisible, full-year courses
to postpone induction until the end of the
year."