Another one off to danger.

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Rickstir

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Just visited by a student of mine. He is 35, an 11 year vetran of the Marines. Late December he joined the National Guard, an engineering battalion. Thought he would be helping out in floods on the Missouri river....
His unit got activated. He will leave shortly. God speed Tim!
 
Thank god the young men like him are still willing to serve.

Several of my friends and I, all veterans, would like to join a Guard or Reserve type unit but they won't take us back in because of age.

I know that we're too old to be "front line soldiers" but you'd think they could use experienced volunter help to man the barricades at home.

It seems to me, that a "home guard" or "volunteer militia" could be used for guard duty, and other duties that don't require young men.

I've pulled gurd duty, pulled KP, washed vehicles, maintained aircraft,, swept floors, etc before, and I'm willing and able to do it all again.

Any other "old timers" out there willing to serve again?
 
Funny, I was just talking to my wife at dinner while watching the news of US ships departing for possible war.

I too would be happy to go, even if all I did was mess crank while the regular Navy guys did thier jobs.

Last I talk to my reserve recruiter he said that if I was willing to work as an engineer (build stuff) they Navy would have me back (I could be as old as 55 he said). Of course I would lose a pay grade.

Unfortunatley (and ironically) I can't go back because I had cancer after my first stint. The cancer (I think) came from exposure to electronic equiptment while I was active.

Oh well, I just have to give blood I guess
 
Ehenz,

I wouldn't need to go aboard ship, or overseas. I'd be satisfied if they'd just let us stand gaurd duty, maintain vehicles and aircraft, maybe even pull KP, right here at home.

At least that would free up some of the younger guys for more important work.
 
The mothballs (retired) folks are being called up too. God speed to all of them for a quck and safe return.
 
My daughter is bummed, she's 18 and has three close friends that joined the service in the last year; two in the Navy one Army.
I'm keeping them and all others deployed in my prayers.
 
cheygriz: What do you mean, too old? Somebody's "shinin" you, my friend. I'm 21 years older than you and am still in the Air National Guard. After 8 years of active duty and then 15 years broken service, I joined the Guard when I was 42.

Unless there's some special limitations for a particular job, if you're prior service you only need be young enough to complete 20 years total service by your 60th birthday.
 
While I don't know the details of what's going on in the world, part of me thinks I need to be somewhere else and not fixing computers....no military service in the family other than an uncle being a test pilot in the Chinese Nationalist air farce.
 
MD2,

I'm 59 years old. I'm in pretty good health, except for diabetes, and good physical condition. I work out at the gym for 2 1/2 hours, four times per week. I have 4 years active military duty and 20 years LE. (15 years as a police firearms instructor.)

And they won't take me, because I can't complete 20 years total duty B4 age 60.

My best buddy has 9 years active military duty, and 19 years National Guard. Perfect health, and excellent condition. He runs 5 miles every morning. They won't take him because he's 65.

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the point. I'm convinced that there is something useful that we could do, (probably many things) besides standing on the ramp and waving flags.

It's frustrating as all hell to me.
 
MD2,

I clicked my profile, and it does indeed say Dec, 31, 1969. I went tto the "edit profile" and it said Mar. 31, 1944, which is correct. I tried to re-enter it, and it still comes up 1969. I guess it's a software glitch. I'll have to email one of the admin types.

Sorry about that. Thanks for pointing it out.
 
And another....

I proudly report my older son is at Pensacola, Florida. He is a member of the U. S. Navy and learning how to fuel aircraft. I am even prouder to report he decided on joining without any provocation from me.
I presume he will be on a carrier somewhere near "indian country" before long.
 
They wouldn't let me mop floors either...

And I asked. Everybody.

After I got over being made to feel useless, I asked myself a question that was once posed by a guy I would have voted against, had I been a few years older.

"What can I do for my country?"

I don't mean to divert the topic of the thread. Maybe one of us should start a new one.

We are middle aged (at best) with diverse skills, a love for our country, and a burning desire to get into the fight.

We'll settle for mopping floors in the mess hall while the real warriors eat.

Where do we go? What do we do?
 
Capnrik,

Agreed! I wrote my Congress Critter and both Senators. Haven't heard back yet. I'm going to write my governor tomorrow.

Maybe it's time for the "irregular militia," as the founding fathers envisioned it.

I don't mean Walter Mitty type kooks running around the woods in cammies with scoped 10-22s, I mean something that the state government organizes, trains and regulates.

An organisation that is volunteer, unpaid, provides it's own equipment, uniforms, rations and doesn't cost the taxpayer any more than the small price of training and admin.

People who do a job for love of duty, honor and country will do a good job. Why can't the politicians and bureaucrats understand that?

During WWll, the British had a "Home Guard." People like us. it worked for them, so there's no reason it wouldn't work for us.
 
Re: the forum's birthdate tracking, the same thing happened to Johny Guest. I don't know his age, but I do know the computer subtracted more than my age from his age.

I think I heard Art and Dennis muttering about a "19" being substituted where an "18" belonged, but I don't think either of them is 18 or 19 years old, so that can't be right . . . .
 
I know New York State has a State Guard. It is not the National Guard but rather the State Guard. You fellas might type in State Guard rather than national and see what you get as regards your state.

I think the idea is similar to the old "Home Guard"concept. The state guard would be called up in case of national emergency.

Go to the Google search engine and type in your home states name and then the words State Guard. Good Luck!
 
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