Bill Clinton and the Draft
Bill Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe III in 1946. During the Vietnam War, he faced the possibility of being drafted into the United States military.
Clinton's Draft Deferments and Lottery
Clinton received student deferments while attending Georgetown University and the University of Oxford. In 1969, he registered for the draft and received a high lottery number, 311, under the Selective Service system. He later obtained an additional medical deferment.
Later Military Service and Public Discussion
Clinton did not serve in the military during the Vietnam War. He later entered politics, and his draft-era decisions became a subject of public debate. For more details on the Selective Service process, see the official system overview at Selective Service System.
