<P> The Military Selective Service Act of 1967 (Selective Service Act of 1948) expanded the ages of conscription to the ages of 18 to 35 . It still granted student deferments, but ended them upon either the student's completion of a four - year degree or his 24th birthday, whichever came first . </P> <P> On November 26, 1969, 37th President Richard Nixon signed an amendment to the Military Selective Service Act of 1967 (Selective Service Act of 1948) that established conscription based on random selection (lottery). The first draft lottery was held on December 1, 1969; it determined the order of call for induction during calendar year 1970, for registrants born between January 1, 1944, and December 31, 1950 . The second lottery, on July 1, 1970, pertained to men born in 1951 . The highest lottery number called for possible induction was 125 . The third was on August 5, 1971, pertaining to men born in 1952; the highest lottery number called was 95 . </P> <P> In 1971, the Military Selective Service Act (Selective Service Act of 1948) was further amended to make registration compulsory; all men had to register within a period 30 days before and 29 days after their 18th birthday . Registrants were classified 1 - A (eligible for military service), 1 - AO (Conscientious Objector available for non-combatant military service), and 1 - O (Conscientious Objector available for alternate community service). Student deferments were ended, except for divinity students, who received a 2 - D Selective Service classification . Men who were not classifiable as eligible for service due to a disqualification were classified 1 - N. Men who are incapable of serving for medical or psychological unfitness are classified 4 - F. Draft classifications of 1 - A were changed to 1 - H (registrant not currently subject to processing for induction) for men not selected for service after the calendar year they were eligible for the draft . (Note: these, and many other, draft classifications were in place long before 1971: they did not simply come into being with the act of 1971, as this paragraph erroneously implies .) Also, draft board membership requirements were reformed: minimum age of board members was dropped from 30 to 18, members over 65 or who had served on the board for 20 or more years had to retire, and membership had to proportionally reflect the ethnic and cultural makeup of the local community . </P> <P> The seventh and final lottery drawing was held on March 12, 1975, pertaining to men born in 1956, who would have been called to report for induction in 1976 . But no new draft orders were issued after 1972 . On January 27, 1973, Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird announced the creation of an all - volunteer armed forces, negating the need for the military draft . </P>

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