How Does a Statistician Raise an Army? The Time When John W. Tukey, a Team of Luminaries, and a Statistics Graduate Student Repaired the Vietnam Selective Service Lotteries

Abstract

Scholars have documented the failed randomization in 1969’s inaugural Vietnam Selective Service Lottery, but the story of how statisticians fixed that problem remains untold. Here, as the 50th anniversary of these events approaches, we recount how John W. Tukey, a team of statistical luminaries, and a graduate student from the University of Chicago repaired the draft lottery.