Drafted Book

"DRAFTED," is a coming of age comedy of 19 year-old Eli J. Jones, a lifeguard, disc jockey, and college student, who is illegally drafted into the U.S. Army by Weird Willie and local draft board number thirteen. Eli makes several attempts to avoid conscription, but still finds himself plucked out of his sheltered, carefree small town life and plunged into a disciplined military environment during the life-threatening era of Vietnam. Despite his mantra of "I?m not supposed to be here," Eli quickly adapts, making many new friends, including the cuddly Harry Horowitz, oil-rich Tex, hometown buddy Steve, the Professor, All-Amercan college running back Sam, and the lovely Army Nurse Sara. They help Eli cope with the insane Battalion Commander (and Sara?s Dad), Colonel Clark, as well as overcome his bully Drill Sergeant "Must kill Eli" Worlinski. Eli?s adventures continue through advanced infantry training at Fort "Lost in the Woods," Missouri, as well as Infantry Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia, where he meets up with "Mad Dog" Drummond, who?s sole purpose in life is to make the candidates as miserable as himself. Eli keeps his wits about him, while trying to survive everything from nude fire drills, a snake-charming stripper - Miss Tiger Tactics, Ranger training, wandering brass pickers and allegators in a Georgia swamp, to being buried alive in a Vietnamese P.O.W. camp simulation. Eli never quits trying to make things right, even when Colonel Clark has his orders changed and it sends him to war (with a quick stopover in Seattle to visit an old friend and her three roomates). Deep in the jungles of Vietnam, with his platoon ? the seven dwarfs - he discovers you sometimes must face your problems ? and in doing so he beats death, saves Sam from drowning in the Perfume River, and ends up a hero. After receiving a bronze star and purple heart at a Bob Hope Christmas show, his buddy Tex, from basic training, finally comes through and gets local draft board thirteen busted. Now faced with the choice of getting out or finishing his tour, Eli decides to stay. He's assigned a "safe" job as a disc jockey at Armed Forces Radio in Saigon - just prior to the 1968 Viet Cong Tet offensive. Once again Eli has to fight for his life and the right to come home.Read More