Note: Since this doesn't speak to firearms per se, I believe it fits here.
Got to thinking today (dangerous at my age) that if there were a voluntary call-up of retired military would I, being yet reasonably able-bodied, respond affirmatively, particularly if I was informed that I would serve in Iraq or other hot spot in some unit no matter in which branch I had previously served. "Feet on the ground" required.
In weighing the pros and cons considering the "news de jour" and other things more personal, I checked my decision tree. On the left "Pros", the right "Cons". This is about the way it stacked up on most important things:
Pro:
My age 71.
Wife: Strong and capable of living alone. Health issues covered; income stream post my death too very little. Too little life insurance for today's living.
Children: Grown, gone, own families.
Grandchildren: Mostly adults, gone, own lives. Those still close are either in decent jobs or high school; solid home base.
Con:
Death/disable earlier than might be.
Assuming there'd be some education/training beforehand, and assuming a uniformed role in at least last rank held, there would be the catch-up to todays pay scale, BAQ and other assorted goodies - including the latest insurance coverage - I could cover much of my past income growth failings reasonably well. As for "the job", while I've been retired some 36 years, I do believe that there is something I could do that would be useful, and I'm sure the gov't would supply it.
Before someone gets the idea that I'm looking for "Suicide by Iraqi" - forget it! That's not the idea here. What is the idea, is that I'm sitting here passing my days doing nothing at all useful during this very distressful series of events, and I feel pretty useless at this point. If they'd just call me up involuntarily - now - I'd be in motion very shortly.
I know there is a retired military presence here at THR, and there are others, retired or not, past military or not. This is for anyone wanting to respond to the poll/thread. I would like to hear from retired military though (as my personal desire to know how you think of this).
So, the question of the poll is "If there is a call for volunteers to serve in whatever capacity in whatever armed service in whatever "Feet On The Ground" location, how would you respond???"
-Andy
Got to thinking today (dangerous at my age) that if there were a voluntary call-up of retired military would I, being yet reasonably able-bodied, respond affirmatively, particularly if I was informed that I would serve in Iraq or other hot spot in some unit no matter in which branch I had previously served. "Feet on the ground" required.
In weighing the pros and cons considering the "news de jour" and other things more personal, I checked my decision tree. On the left "Pros", the right "Cons". This is about the way it stacked up on most important things:
Pro:
My age 71.
Wife: Strong and capable of living alone. Health issues covered; income stream post my death too very little. Too little life insurance for today's living.
Children: Grown, gone, own families.
Grandchildren: Mostly adults, gone, own lives. Those still close are either in decent jobs or high school; solid home base.
Con:
Death/disable earlier than might be.
Assuming there'd be some education/training beforehand, and assuming a uniformed role in at least last rank held, there would be the catch-up to todays pay scale, BAQ and other assorted goodies - including the latest insurance coverage - I could cover much of my past income growth failings reasonably well. As for "the job", while I've been retired some 36 years, I do believe that there is something I could do that would be useful, and I'm sure the gov't would supply it.
Before someone gets the idea that I'm looking for "Suicide by Iraqi" - forget it! That's not the idea here. What is the idea, is that I'm sitting here passing my days doing nothing at all useful during this very distressful series of events, and I feel pretty useless at this point. If they'd just call me up involuntarily - now - I'd be in motion very shortly.
I know there is a retired military presence here at THR, and there are others, retired or not, past military or not. This is for anyone wanting to respond to the poll/thread. I would like to hear from retired military though (as my personal desire to know how you think of this).
So, the question of the poll is "If there is a call for volunteers to serve in whatever capacity in whatever armed service in whatever "Feet On The Ground" location, how would you respond???"
-Andy