The incident at Mountain Charlie's.(personal narrative of naval officer)

TUCSON, ARIZONA -- In 1972, I was part of the last military draft. A Teletype machine was set up in the student union at the University of Buffalo, where I was enrolled, and lottery numbers were posted as they were pulled. A room full of 19-year-olds awaited their fate. I got number 364: I didn't have to worry about being drafted.

But the next summer I joined the Navy anyway. All of my friends thought I was crazy, stupid, and ignorant. What a waste of a perfectly good draft number.

I became a radar operator for P-3 aircraft, went to the Philippines, and flew over Vietnam doing reconnaissance. I was there for the evacuation in 1976, and kept track of the desperate boat-people fleeing Vietnam. Many disappeared in the South China Sea--their overcrowded, top-heavy fishing boats swamped by the sea, or sunk by pirates who attacked at night. The boy from Buffalo turned into a man that year. The realization that I was privileged to grow up in the United States sunk in quickly when I witnessed the lengths to which people went to gain the freedom I took for granted. After our deployment, we came home to Moffet Field near San Jose. I moved off base with a couple of friends and lived in Los Gatos, 25 miles away. In the '70s, young soldiers stuck out like sore thumbs amidst our peers, and much of the country did not condone our job choice. Los Gatos was quiet and people there didn't automatically associate our short hair with the military.

In downtown Los Gatos there is a place called Mountain Charlie's that had live music, and played lots of Charlie Daniels, Lynyrd Skynrd, Allman Brothers, and bluegrass records. It was our place during off hours.

One night I was standing at the end of the bar listening to the music when a girl walked up to me, said "You must be in the military," called me a baby killer, and spat in my face.

I had heard of this happening to others, but was stunned when it happened to me. She turned and walked away indignantly before I could even react. As she rejoined her party they all had a good laugh, congratulating each other, and chalking one ...