What were the consequences of draft dodgers?

Draft evasion carries stiff punishments, including fines and years of imprisonment. After the Syrian Civil War broke out in 2011, many draft-age men began fleeing the country, sometimes paying thousands of dollars to be smuggled out. Others paid to have their names expunged from the draft rolls.

What was the punishment for draft dodging?

Knowing and willful refusal to present oneself for and submit to registration as ordered is punishable by a maximum penalty of up to five years in Federal prison and/or a fine of US$250,000, although there have been no prosecutions of draft registration resisters since January 1986.

What happens if you were drafted and refuse to go?

If you get a draft notice, show up, and refuse induction, you’ll probably be prosecuted. However, some people will slip through the cracks in the system, and some will win in court. If you show up and take the physical, there’s a good chance that you’ll flunk.

Why did draft dodgers go to Canada?

Draft evaders These young men were often well educated, and alienated from American society, showing a knowledge and distaste for American social problems at the time. Most felt the Vietnam War was immoral, and felt supported by the era’s counterculture and protests to make the decision to flee to Canada.

Did draft dodgers go to jail?

It is now known that, during the Vietnam era, approximately 570,000 young men were classified as draft offenders, and approximately 210,000 were formally accused of draft violations; however, only 8,750 were convicted and only 3,250 were jailed.

What happened to draft dodgers that went to Canada?

Vietnam War resisters in Canada were American draft evaders and military deserters who avoided serving in the Vietnam War by seeking political asylum in Canada between 1965 and 1975. Many Americans who took refuge in Canada assimilated in the country and continued to reside there decades after the war’s end in 1975.

How long do you go to jail for not going to war?

For instance, being AWOL for less than three days can result in a maximum penalty of confinement for one month and forfeiture of two-thirds pay for one month. After 30 days or more, service members face dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and a one-year confinement.

How did the military draft affect the Vietnam War?

The military draft brought the war to the American home front. During the Vietnam War era, between 1964 and 1973, the U.S. military drafted 2.2 million American men out of an eligible pool of 27 million.

What happened to draft dodgers after the Vietnam War?

Upwards of 40,000 draft dodgers fled to Canada between 1965 and 1975. Many stayed in Canada after the war’s end, and some even stayed after President Carter pardoned them all on his first day in office. Those who stayed became Canadian citizens.

What happened to the draft after 1973?

I hardly noticed the draft-related events of the next few years: In 1973 the draft ended, in 1974 President Ford offered conditional amnesty to the draft dodgers — 40 years ago today — and in 1975 the war ended. But by then the draft had already done great damage to the U.S. military and its image.

How did people Dodge the draft during the Civil War?

To dodge the Civil War draft, people could pay a less wealthy person to take their place in the draft, pay a crooked doctor to give them a bad health exam, or outright bribe draft officials. The modern Selective Service system was established to raise an army to fight in Europe during World War I.