When we talk about the 1960s, it’s easy to get lost in the music and the protests. But for every guy reaching draft age back then, the Selective Service was the only thing that actually mattered. It was a giant, looming shadow. You’ve probably heard the names—Cheney, Clinton, Trump—all of them had their reasons for not heading to Southeast Asia. But the Joe Biden draft deferments usually don't get as much airtime. Honestly, they’re a fascinating look at how a whole generation of future leaders navigated the most unpopular war in American history.
It wasn't just one lucky break. It was a series of them. Five, to be exact.
Most people don't realize that in 1968, the year Biden finally became "available" for the draft, the war was at its absolute bloodiest. We’re talking about the Tet Offensive and nearly 300,000 men being called up. That was the year Biden got his medical disqualification.
The Student Years: Five Deferments in a Row
Biden’s journey with the Selective Service started like millions of others. He registered on February 15, 1961, right after he turned 18. At the time, he was a student at Archmere Academy in Delaware.
Between 1963 and 1968, Biden received five separate 2-S student deferments.
That was the standard move. If you were in college, you were safe—for a while. He got four while he was an undergraduate at the University of Delaware and one more when he moved on to law school at Syracuse University.
It's kind of wild to think about now, but this was a totally legal and common path for anyone with the means to stay in school. It wasn't "dodging" in the criminal sense; it was playing by the rules that existed at the time. But those rules definitely favored guys who could afford tuition.
The 1-Y Classification: What Was Wrong with Joe?
By early 1968, the clock was ticking. Biden was finishing law school. The student safety net was about to vanish. On April 5, 1968, he went in for a physical exam.
👉 See also: What Category Was Harvey? The Surprising Truth Behind the Number
He came out of that room with a 1-Y classification.
In the language of the Selective Service, 1-Y meant you were "qualified for service only in time of war or national emergency." Basically, the military said, "We’ll take you if things get truly desperate, but otherwise, no thanks." Later, in 1971, this was changed to a 4-F (completely disqualified) when the 1-Y category was phased out.
The reason? Asthma.
This is where the nuance kicks in. If you look at Biden’s 2007 memoir, Promises to Keep, he describes himself as a standout athlete. He was a "skinny kid" who played wide receiver and halfback in high school, helping lead his team to an undefeated season. He was a lifeguard. He played intramural sports in college.
So, how does a star athlete have asthma bad enough to avoid a war?
The "Teenage" Asthma Mystery
The Obama campaign in 2008 had to clear this up when the Associated Press started digging. They explained that Biden had suffered from "asthma as a teenager."
Critics have pointed out the irony. You have a guy who can sprint down a football field or haul people out of a swimming pool, but he can't carry a ruck in the jungle? It sounds suspicious to a lot of people.
✨ Don't miss: When Does Joe Biden's Term End: What Actually Happened
However, medical experts will tell you that "exercise-induced" or childhood asthma can be weirdly selective. You might be fine in a controlled environment like a football field but collapse in the humid, dusty, or high-stress conditions of a combat zone. The military doctors in 1968 were the ones who made the call, not Biden himself. They saw something in his medical history that made him a liability.
Comparing Biden to the Rest of the Field
It is almost impossible to talk about the Joe Biden draft deferments without mentioning the other "big names." The draft was the Great Equalizer—or at least it was supposed to be.
- Donald Trump: Received four student deferments and one medical deferment for bone spurs in his heels.
- Dick Cheney: Famously had five student deferments. He once said he "had other priorities in the 1960s than military service."
- Bill Clinton: Involved a complex saga with an ROTC program and a high draft lottery number.
Basically, an entire generation of the American political elite found a way to stay home.
Biden’s record is almost a carbon copy of Cheney’s in terms of the number of deferments. The difference is largely in the public perception and the specific medical excuse used. Bone spurs became a punchline; asthma mostly stayed under the radar until his later presidential runs.
Why Does This Matter Today?
You might think, "This was nearly 60 years ago, who cares?"
But it matters because it speaks to "E-E-A-T"—Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust. For voters, especially veterans, these records are a window into a person's character during a crisis.
When Biden was a senator, he was often a "hawk" on certain issues but a "dove" on others. He voted for the Iraq War but oversaw the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Some argue that because he didn't serve, he lacks a fundamental understanding of the "boots on the ground" reality. Others say that his medical disqualification was out of his hands and that his long career in public service is his own form of "service."
🔗 Read more: Fire in Idyllwild California: What Most People Get Wrong
Fact Check: Did he "dodge" the draft?
Technically, no. "Draft dodging" usually implies an illegal act, like fleeing to Canada or burning a draft card. Biden followed the legal procedures of the time. He registered, he reported for his physical, and he accepted the classification the government gave him.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think Biden was some kind of anti-war radical. Not really.
Actually, Biden wasn't a big protester. He wasn't out there burning bras or flags. He was a guy focused on his career. He clerked at a law firm in 1968 and was even leaning Republican for a brief window because he didn't like the local Democratic governor's stance on civil rights. He didn't really start vocalizing opposition to the Vietnam War until he was running for the Senate in 1972.
By then, the war was already winding down and public opinion had shifted.
Actionable Insights: Verifying Military Records
If you're researching political figures and their military (or non-military) backgrounds, don't just take a campaign's word for it. Here is how you can dig deeper:
- Request FOIA Records: The Selective Service System and the National Archives hold these documents. Anyone can request a "Classification Ledger" for a public figure.
- Look for the Codes: A "2-S" is a student. A "1-A" is available immediately. A "1-Y" or "4-F" is a medical out. Understanding these codes is key.
- Read the Memoirs: Compare what a politician says in their book about their "glory days" as an athlete with the medical reasons they gave the draft board. The gaps are where the real story lives.
- Check the Timeline: Look at the date of the medical disqualification. Was it during a period of high enlistment? Was it right after they graduated? The timing often tells you more than the diagnosis itself.
The story of the Joe Biden draft deferments isn't one of a rebel or a coward. It’s the story of a young man in the 1960s who used the system exactly as it was designed—a system that, for better or worse, allowed the lucky and the educated to stay out of the mud.