By tam lucky 
About the song
During the height of the Vietnam War, many young American men faced a difficult crossroad: whether to serve, resist, or find alternative paths. For Alan Osmond, the oldest performing brother of the famous Osmond family, that choice was tangled in both duty and faith. While some accused entertainers of leveraging fame to avoid military service, Alan’s story paints a more nuanced picture.
In the late 1960s, Alan was eligible for the draft. However, instead of heading to war, he embarked on a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—a path encouraged by his strong Mormon upbringing. This mission wasn’t a way to avoid responsibility, but rather a deep expression of spiritual commitment. At the time, some church missions were considered for deferment under U.S. Selective Service policies, and Alan legally qualified.
Yet, this wasn’t the end of his military story. Later on, Alan joined the California National Guard, where he did serve—though not in active combat overseas. In doing so, he balanced both a sense of patriotic duty and religious identity, walking a tightrope many young men of faith struggled to navigate in a divided America.
Alan’s choice reflected a broader conflict of the era: the tension between individual conscience, government expectation, and faith-based service. Critics may still question the path he took, but for Alan Osmond, avoiding Vietnam wasn’t about cowardice—it was about conviction. And in the decades since, he’s been open about his choices, never denying the complexity, but always affirming his commitment to both his country and his faith.
In a time when every decision carried weight, Alan’s path reminds us that avoiding war doesn’t always mean avoiding sacrifice.