June 2024

By definition, the draft is disruptive. It yanks people out of their communities and commits them to military service, usually during time of war. Such was the case for Specialist 4 Thomas Steffl, who was drafted for service in the U.S. Army after graduating from college in 1965. His commitment took him to Vietnam, where he maintained communication wires and defended base camps during 1966 and 1967. He then returned to the United States and got his life back on track, working hard to earn a slice of the American dream for his family. This is his story.