Jim McConkey didn’t know much about Vietnam when he went to serve in the Peace Corps. Returning home to hummelstown after a year abroad, Jim found the war was on everyone’s mind, and he was still eligible for the draft.
I was working and going to school part time and I got a notice from the draft board that they weren’t going to give educational deferments to part time students anymore. Because their assumption was that if you had one school part time you’re just going there to drag out your draft immunity.
And that kind of put my nose out of joint because up to that point I’d kind of thought well you know the government’s good and all of a sudden here they are accusing me of dishonorable motives and you know being young you sort of take things personally.
I had actually considered going to Vietnam as a way of doing good and some of my classmates then when I talked about that a couple of people said said no, this war is not a good thing.
Earlier on I thought well I’ll do the honorable thing and go to jail. But after later on I thought you know no there’s nothing honorable about this. I’m going to go to Canada.
Jim soon turned 26, making him ineligible for the draft.