Everyone expected the intake center to be staffed entirely by women. All the men were needed for the war, including us, the draftees.
This was a new facility, run by a contractor, set up in a hurry to meet the demand for fresh troops. It opened two days before my induction date.
I stepped off the bus out front, having been told we couldn't drive ourselves here. No one would be able to take our cars home, they said, because we would be transported straight from the facility to boot camp. They also said to dress in throwaway clothes, because we'd be leaving in uniform.
That made for an interesting combination of appearances in the holding room. We'd all worn our shabbiest clothing, but we were also freshly washed and shaven, because we all knew we'd be examined up-close by women.
I waited in the room with several dozen other guys, age 18-25. Nobody had much to say, as we were all strangers. So when the door opened and a big woman stepped in and barked, "This way!" we jumped.