[oh8eleven]

The only service that had a two year hitch was the Army with draftees.
I enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1966 and had a choice: 2, 3 or 4 years.
I chose 3 years rather than 2 thinking it might keep me from going to VN straight out of boot camp.
I was right. I was assigned to a mortar battery at Camp Pendleton ... 6 weeks later I was off to 'Nam. See how smart I was :)

[ought-six]

Damn, you’re right!

I found this on a USMC site:

“On 2 May 1967, Headquarters Marine Corps once again authorized two-year enlistments. To keep personnel turbulence to a minimum, the Commandant decreed that two-year contracts would constitute no more than 20 percent of all new enlistments. Between l July 1966 and 30 June
1967. Only 16.9 percent of all enlistments were for two years; over half were for four years.”

I was in the USAF (1970 - 1974), which was a four year enlistment. USN was a four year enlistment. USA was two years (if a draftee); three years if an enlistment. USMC was a three year enlistment, unless they grabbed you out of the draft (in which case it was a two year active-duty commitment).

Anyway, a long time ago.