In 1967 I register for the U.S.draft in Moscow Russia
My father was an 101 Airborne Jump School Instructor... so out of High School I was ready to hit the ground and go do my duty. The way God made me... I am a seeker... so first I went to Moscow to seek. I specifically went to the American Embassy and registered for the U.S. draft on my 18 th birthday 1967. A learning experience for a young Sam.

Leaving Finland going South on a single train car going into U.S.S.R. was really really weird. The experience of going from a California culture to a U.S.S.R. Soviet State was eye opening. {The Russian way felt like everyone and everything was owned by the post office and there was not a surplus of anything but vodka, bread'ncheese.} This last railroad "round house" at the Protected Border for Finland and Russia has a bunch of tracks coming in from the North and then only 1 single track going South into Russia. The area is kept flat with no grass/cover for a few miles as gun emplacements are spaced along this highly controlled zone. It felt weird!

The conflict in Vietnam was roaring on the other side of the planet...

One train track, one engine, one old polished wooden passenger car, four guards... 2 with machine guns in their hands and 2 with machine guns on their shoulders. Passing tank bunkers, border obstacles and then in the middle of a big flat plane we pull up to a pretty little candy store on the right...like you would see on main street at Disneyland.

Instructed to go into the store along with the other 20 or so passengers I observe a pretty white rock garden and a nice path into a brightly painted candy store with indoor/outdoor seating.

As I stepped down off of the lowest metal train step I noticed there were no cars anywhere. Upon entering the store it is obvious all the candy is plastic and fake...as is the entire setup.

The train and my belongings are searched, my passport taken and I am instructed to go back onto the train car, off again into a most different reality. From that point on I was followed 24/7 by my Official Russian Intourist Guide/s.

Entering Leningrad was entering living history...very friendly people, spectacular environment, awesome like San Francisco, California. These were loving people, wonderful and very friendly. They loved Americans. They loved anything American, Jazz, Jeans, anything Yankee. Right away I was invited to many parties with Teens about my age. We drank Champagne, sang, broke bread...the Russians played string instruments.... big parties an old fashion way...more organic... Interpersonal interactions..I did something besides drive a '56 Chevy's down first street till1 am blaring the Beach Boys on an 8 track. These young adults like myself were very very nice people in a very different culture...we sang, danced, made music...friendly people.

I made friends with was a political activist of the '60s type/Beatles/sergeant Pepper...he was upset about the many West Germans who were constantly trying to climb the Berlin Wall to escape into the East... out of western hands... he thought they were dying to get back into protected Mother Russia.

Repeatedly in the news... clips would be played of people risking their lives stuck on barbed wire..struggling to get over into East Berlin! He asked how the American Indian wars were doing and was it still dangerous out west with Indians cutting off peoples scalps!....then he asked me how much the government paid me to go to school! and is it true I can buy oranges in the store! Seek and you shall find, knock and the door will open. That nite we talked for a long time...he continues to be my friend... he and all his loved ones are always in my prayers. Yes I did go to the American Embassy in Moscow and I did register on my 18 th birthday for the U.S. draft.

Some months later back in San Jose, California I was called downtown to the draft office...I informed the gentleman I felt resistant to active participation in the current military action in Vietnam and felt better solutions might be found with enhanced communications.

The crisply dressed gentleman made eye contact and blew my statement off with a mild sneer. Pulling out my file he read I had just returned from Russia/Moscow. After a brief wait...a determination was made. He decided not to include me in his future plans.

Back then we were daily bombing the hell out of them. Big jets way up in the air dropping tons of poisons and other deadly substances. At the same time they were letting us have it with all they could afford....What the hell ! What were they/we really fighting about... was it not something we should have settled with a modest amount of humane interaction and civilized communications.
All of us paid a price for these lessons.
There are many lessons to be learned.
- posted by Samuel Bell @ 7:41 AM