Most people are aware that academic deferments were an important means by which middle-class men avoided serving in Vietnam. But Appy discusses other reasons for middle-class men’s under-representation in Vietnam. What were some of those reasons?
Week 5 Day 1 Discussion Question 4
March 16, 2016 | 1 Comment
March 11, 2019 at 11:54 am
During the war, deferrals seem to be the only way to avoid combat, but these deferrals, unfortunately, were mostly designed to accommodate the middle class and exclude the poor.
Educational deferrals were major escape channels for potential draftees in the army. Of course, the nature of the deferral welcomed the Middle class excluded the poor who had no access to education.
Other key escape channels such as lenient health deferrals existed as well. Middle-class potential draftees had access to health care with physicians willing to write them letters of healthcare deferrals for the simplest physical issues.
The selection process showed great double-standards in their selection. While physical disabilities (even the mildest) were leniently accepted for anyone with access to health care (middle class), mental capability requirements were intentionally lowered to enlist more working-class. The government was particularly concerned that most of those who failed the intelligence test were from the working class, and hence, they lowered the standard to welcomed more of them into the army.