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For others' sake, I double-checked: 2.59 million served, of which 648,500 were draftees. Right at 25%

Is there a study of soldiers who enlisted but only because their draft number was low? There were substantial benefits to enlisting, because you could choose your branch of service.

It would be more interesting to see those numbers broken down by frontline service. What percentage of the guys actually dying in the jungle were drafted?

17,725 draftees died, just over 30% of all American combat deaths in the war

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War_draft

Should break that down by people who had enlisted before hostilities began. Material difference enlisting during peace time vs when there is an active theater of war.

It isn't the number that were drafted that matters. It is the number who were enrolled who might have been drafted that matters.

A relative of mine who was of draft age during the Vietnam war, deliberately enlisted in the US army because he thought that this would reduce his chances of being sent to fight in Vietnam And it worked, he spent his time overseas in the military in Japan in a non-combat role. I'm sure many males of draft age made similar choices.

For maybe people, even one would be too many.