Peter Beharrell Class of 1967

During the period of the Viet Nam War, whether you went to Harvard, Yale, Boston College or Belknap College, you were allowed a deferment as long as you were a full time student. Once you Graduated or dropped out you either had to enlist in the Military or receive a Draft Notice. Some un-patriotic individual’s decided to leave the country so they wouldn’t have to deal with the Military. They were the real Draft Dodgers. Some individuals wanted to finish their education first and then deal with the Military while some wanted to go right in the Military after High School and possibly go to College after their enlistment was up. I graduated from Belknap in 1967 and that Fall joined the Massachusetts Army National Guard. (This was an Armor Unit – I had put my name on a waiting list almost a year before I graduated). I spent 6 months on Active Duty for Basic Training and AIT. For the next 6 Years I attended Drills one weekend a month and two weeks every summer.

Like everything in life, it’s all about choices. Apparently, that motorcyclist is frustrated because he must have made the wrong choice and wants to take it out on the people that made the choice to get their education and degree first and then make a choice about the Military after Graduation. I don’t think I was prepared for the Military at 18 like I was at 22. If I didn’t get my degree first I might never have gone to College after the Military, because I would have felt it’s time to start working. I was in the Business Administration Curriculum and enjoyed a Retailing Class with Abbot Rice. After my Active Duty I took a job as an Executive Trainee for a Majot Dept Store and ended up with a Store Retail Management career for 20 Years and then self employed with my wife in Retail Type businesses for the next 20 years. Without that Retailing Class I’m sure my Career would have been completely different and not as fun and rewarding as my Retailing and self-employment career turned out to be.

I wouldn’t worry too much about 100,000 motorcyclist’s coming into Center Harbor. The same College Deferment was offered to anyone attending any accredited College in the Country. So they will have to go to every College town in the Country and make their threats of retaliation of Draft Dodgers. I don’t think that will happen.

~Peter Beharrell Class of 1967