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As the war in Viet Nam escalated, so too did the monthly draft. When it hit 40,000 in December, 1965, Selective Service director General Lewis B. Hershey warned that “marginal” students about 10 percent of university freshmen and sophomores could soon lose their 2-S student deferment and be drafted. To define “marginal,” he brought back the policy from the Korean War, using class rank and a standardized test. The American Council of Educators, and UW Dean of Students Joseph Kauffman, approved.
As do most students; more than 8000 UW men – about three-fourths of the male student body – return the big blue IBM card telling the registrar to go ahead and send their records to their local draft boards.