70yrs old, 20yrs retired, time to for the Army to send you to Afghanistan

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

We have no need for a draft as long as our 70 year olds will fill in for us.

Dr. John Caulfield thought it had to be a mistake when the Army asked him to return to active duty. After all, he's 70 years old and had already retired - twice. He left the Army in 1980 and private practice two years ago.

"My first reaction was disbelief," Caulfield said. "It never occurred to me that they would call a 70-year-old."

In fact, he was so sure it was an error that he ignored the postcards and telephone messages asking if he would be willing to volunteer for active duty to "backfill" somewhere on the East Coast, Europe or Hawaii. That would be OK, he thought. It would release active duty oral surgeons from those areas to go to combat zones in Iraq or Afghanistan.

But then the orders came for him to go to Afghanistan.

Today, Caulfield, a colonel from Satellite Beach, Fla., is an example of how the continuing demands of keeping ground troops in Afghanistan and Iraq are forcing the military to go to extraordinary measures to keep its ranks filled. He's attending to patients - U.S. troops, Afghan soldiers and civilians - at the Army's 325th Field Hospital in Bagram, Afghanistan.

http://www.marionstar.com/news/stori...s/1731211.html

Mission Accomplished!

[AlphaSigOU]

People are forgetting that if they complete their active duty service commitment and/or retire on a Regular commission, they are subject to being recalled to active duty at any time, unless they resign their commission.

Hell, I'd go back in, but the military ain't looking for overweight, out-of-shape guys pushing 40. (Max age they'll take for non-prior service is 27, those with prior service up to 35.)

[James]

unless you have a special skill they need . .. then they will waive age requirements.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

I just saw something about this on 60 Minutes. They recalled a 55 year old woman who did her active duty in the 1960s. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/...in658994.shtml

[aurora_borealis]

They called my stepfather up shortly after September 11th 2001. He told them he still had a souvenir from Vietnam embedded in his backside from his previous employment Then he became concerned, if they were calling up old men like him perhaps they were in worse shape than he thought. He would have just been assisting with training, not actually going overseas due to his veteran status, but it was still nervewracking.


However, it turned out to be a mistake as someone entered the wrong year on his paperwork. May not be the case next time!

[IowaStatePhiPsi]

I dont think my dad has to worry about getting called back to the airforce. Even though he left to work in a private clinic in 1982 his discharge papers didnt get signed and sent to him until 1996. He never asked for the 14yrs of backpay, but I think the date will keep them from calling him.

[Coramoor]

I've trained men that where hell..at least 50-ish and they were only E-5s. Sign the dotted line-don't be surprised when your contact is called to fulfill the requirements.

[lifesaver]

Originally posted by AlphaSigOU


Hell, I'd go back in, but the military ain't looking for overweight, out-of-shape guys pushing 40. (Max age they'll take for non-prior service is 27, those with prior service up to 35.)

Just wait till bush invades North Korea and Syria. You'll be needed. By the time its all said and done, 12 year olds will be needed.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by lifesaver
Just wait till bush invades North Korea and Syria. You'll be needed. By the time its all said and done, 12 year olds will be needed.

Unfortunately, the kind of war that will be fought in these days will require a nuclear fallout shelter...

[lifesaver]

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
Unfortunately, the kind of war that will be fought in these days will require a nuclear fallout shelter...

AKA, dont give Bush any ideas. The only reason they havent been used yet is cause Bushie probably hasnt figured out where the 'start' button is.

[XOMichelle]

Reasons why I will never go into the military!!!

[Shortfuse]

Originally posted by AlphaSigOU
People are forgetting that if they complete their active duty service commitment and/or retire on a Regular commission, they are subject to being recalled to active duty at any time, unless they resign their commission.

Hell, I'd go back in, but the military ain't looking for overweight, out-of-shape guys pushing 40. (Max age they'll take for non-prior service is 27, those with prior service up to 35.)

I thought your time to be called back was double of what your enlistment time was?

For example if I did a 4 year enlistment and I'd have 4 more years of inactive enlistment time.

[PureGoldF2K1]

This is scary! Its scares me when my Dad keeps talking about how he thinks they're going to reinstate the draft and they will draft women too. Is he right?

[RACooper]

Originally posted by AlphaSigOU
People are forgetting that if they complete their active duty service commitment and/or retire on a Regular commission, they are subject to being recalled to active duty at any time, unless they resign their commission.

Hell, I'd go back in, but the military ain't looking for overweight, out-of-shape guys pushing 40. (Max age they'll take for non-prior service is 27, those with prior service up to 35.)

Pretty much the same deal up here... when you finish your clear-out papers and crap - you're offically classified as "sumplemental reserve" (ie. the real back-ups). Anyhoo if the sh*t hits the fan and the military needs troops, they get the first call --- which is how I got tapped again At least here you have the choice between Active and Primary Reserve; if you opt for the Reserve you only deploy if you request it...

The cutoffs for age are roughly the same as the US and the physical requirements are great fun too... lets you realize just how slack you became in the 5 years off.

While we may not "order" troops to deploy, they are stongly encouraged to pick-up the slack back home training and support-wise... in addition to constantly being subjected requests for foreign deployment (1/3 of my unit is constantly away somewhere...).

[AlphaSigOU]

Originally posted by lifesaver
AKA, dont give Bush any ideas. The only reason they havent been used yet is cause Bushie probably hasnt figured out where the 'start' button is.

He doesn't have to. Contrary to popular belief, there is NO nuclear red button. The military aides to the President of the United States (a job that is regularly rotated by all four services and the Coast Guard) carry an armored briefcase called the 'Presidential Emergency Satchel', popularly known as the 'nuclear football'.

The exact contents are - of course - highly classified, but it's safe to say it carries secure communications equipment and the nuclear war playbook, called the SIOP (Single Integrated Operational Plan), as well as a listing of emergency evacuation locations for the continuity of the government.

The military aides undergo an extremely thorough TOP SECRET/SIOP-ESI (Extremely Sensitive Information) background investigation supposedly called 'Yankee White'. Once thoroughly vetted as to his or her loyalty to the United States, the aides are also briefed on the SIOP and how to activate the briefcase.