What was the highest rank achieved by a draftee?

so its been 40 years since the draft ended in the US military, i am guessing everyone that was drafted would be retired by now.

so what was the highest military rank achieved by an American that was drafted?
my guess was Elvis Presley as Sargeant, but that cant be the highest rank.

2013-07-11T12:26:28Z

- Will B - Thanks for the link...Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Mellinger was the Last Draftee still serving
- BRaini - Thank you for your service....that degree requirement is interesting...i think the Army College Fund was suspended in 2011 (bad call), fortunately the GI Bill is still around.
- Jeeper - i was talking about #2
- MAJ Kev - see below

MAJ Kev2013-07-11T11:25:08Z

Favorite Answer

General John Shalikashvili (4 - stars) was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; he was drafted in July of 1958.

There have been numerous other General officers int he modern era who started out as draftees.

Elvis, while acknowledged as a good Soldier, is not anywhere even close to the highest rank for a draftee.

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BRaini2013-07-11T17:36:51Z

A guy I served with when I was in the Army was drafted in 1966 and served six years in Vietnam. He started out as a door gunner on Huey helicopters and ended up as a Staff Sergeant (E-6) before getting a battlefield commission. He ended his time in 'Nam as Captain (O-3), Infantry Company Commander, but when the war ended, he was told that without a degree and since he hadn't attended OCS or ROTC, he could either get out then as a Captain or be reverted back to E-6 and continue his career. He got out for a couple of years, then came back in.

In 1987, he retired at 21 years of service as an O-3.

I'm sure there were others, but he's the only one I know.

Brian Raini

10

jeeper_peeper3212013-07-11T18:21:59Z

if your talking about the highest rank a dreftee gained, while in their draft service commitment

then in WW ll -- several would have received battle field commissions and ended the war as Capt's

on the enlisted side -- you had draftees that ended their draft service as E-7's

2, if your talking about just the highest rank someone drafted ever achieved

then E-9 for enlisted

and more than likely there have been several general officers that started out as draftees

12

Will B2013-07-11T16:17:30Z

Command Sgt. Maj. Jeffrey Mellinger (E9) retired after 39 years in the Army in 2011
He was drafted in 1972

http://abcnews.go.com/US/draftee-military-retires-39-years/story?id=13990440

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