What did it mean to have a draft number of 35 for the vietnam war?

Question: What did it mean to have a draft number of 35 for the vietnam war!?

I understand that there was a lottery, but I don't quite understand the entire concept!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

35 meant you would go in the first two months!. Every birthday was put in a drum!. The first lottery had a lot of people in it!. They pulled the dates of birth out and that was the order men over 18 would be drafted!. I was in the first lottery and got number 315, and since the draft that year stopped at 290, I did not get drafted, and could not be drafted, unless of a national emergency like war with the Soviet Union!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It was just that, you were given a number and a blind lottery selected numbers, if yours was picked, you were drafted, if not you were safe!. But if your number was not selected, then it stayed in the pool with the next batch of numbers and another lottery was held when more troops were needed!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Your number was picked by your birthday!. If your b-day was pulled early you went!. My year the cut off was about 142!.
The idea was to show no favorites!. So you were drafted by # instead of the draft board!. ( made up of locals) I guess you could see how some favoritism might get involved!.!.
Hope this helps!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com