US Army 1969-1971, drafted in the very last draft under the old local Selective Service System, which was notorious for not drafting local favorite sons of politicians and the wealthy. (The birth date draft lottery system started 1/1/1970.)
Basic, Ft. Campbell, KY, 11/69 - 1/70
AIT, Artillery Surveyor Specialist, Ft. Sill, OK, 2/70-5/70
3rd/84th Artillery Battalion, Neckarsulm, West Germany, Pershing Nuclear Warhead Missiles, HQ Battery S-3 Staff Duty SGT, 5/70-11/71.
Returned to the real world on 11/2/1971.
You would have had to have been there to understand the sentiment.