General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsA cousin who is a veteran got a letter from the Army
telling him they want him to re-up, even though he's 60, sick, and partially disabled. He said other career army, now retired, are getting letters trying to call them up for service.
Is this typical, or is the military this desperate?
Skittles
(171,281 posts)who the fuck would want to risk their lives for Netanyahu and Trump?
mountain grammy
(28,971 posts)Many sources, many reasons.
Wounded Bear
(64,208 posts)Wounded Bear
(64,208 posts)Melon
(1,470 posts)Its only released annually, but it typically goes up during conflict.
JustAnotherGen
(38,015 posts)Norrrm
(4,833 posts)Tom DeLay and Dan Quayle military service
He and Quayle, DeLay explained to the assembled media in New Orleans, were victims of an unusual phenomenon back in the days of the undeclared Southeast Asian war. So many minority youths had volunteered for the well-paying military positions to escape poverty and the ghetto that there was literally no room for patriotic folks like himself. Satisfied with the pronouncement, which dumbfounded more than a few of his listeners who had lived the sixties, DeLay marched off to the convention.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/chatterbox/1999/05/what_did_you_do_in_the_war_hammer.html

usonian
(24,878 posts)Working on my knots.
And by the way.
DRAFT ICE
They are already "trained" (in random violence against civilians. Checks one box)
Bonespur "victims" have already been weeded out.
They are already government employees and must go where assigned. (saves TONS of paperwork)
They already have weapons, and unspent budget money.
They already have swell masks to protect from radioactive dust that bombing reactors creates.
They (probably) already have military haircuts, and (this is big)
Their kill to loss ratio is infinite.
Oh, and ...
It's them or Barron.
Danes Agree, YES, DANES!

haele
(15,345 posts)But I don't think that's something they would want, unless they're looking for certain MOS types and using AI to find qualified personnel.
There's a lot of conditions AI might miss, like a possible disqualifying status (type of discharge, retired status or disability retirement) or age (over 60).
Dan
(5,111 posts)A friend of mine that was retired military was sent a letter asking him if he wanted to return to active duty during the first ME fiasco. He said NO.
Buddyzbuddy
(2,480 posts)rubbersole
(11,179 posts)That doesnt make any sense. Especially if they haven't activated the IRR yet.
(Ie: This young, very not-disabled Army vet has yet to receive anything similar)
Just googled that some people have received fraudulent letters which are scams.
jfz9580m
(17,019 posts)Is it that desperate?
I found out yesterday that a young couple I know in the ME is close enough to the war zone that they can hear it
. So scary..
Tesha
(21,133 posts)scammers are targeting veterans with fake, high-dollar recruitment offers
LogDog75
(1,255 posts)From what I know, as a retired AF SNCO, is the military will first ask for people to reenlist for up to two years. IF they don't get enough people to reenlist then they can go to the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR). From when I was active duty, when you enlisted you volunteered to commit to at least eight years. If you serve only one enlistment, when you leave the service you go into the IRR until your military obligation is completed. If you voluntarily or are involuntarily recalled you return with the rank you retired or were at when you separated, and the pay, housing/subsistence, and medical benefits, the extra time served is applied to your retirement pay, etc.. The drawback is you aren't eligible for promotion.
Most likely all he has to do is return the letter saying No.
I retired after 28 years and I served two years in the IRR to meet the 30 year commitment they said I had. No problem in that I never heard anything from the AF concerning whether they needed me again.
During the first Gulf War, I knew a Master Sergeant who retired just before Iraq invaded Kuwait. He was a medic and during his career he tried but never got to cross-train to become an independent duty medical technician which would make him the primary caregiver to a small unit or detachment. Once the Gulf War revved up the AF contacted him and asked him to return to active duty. He asked if they would make him an independent duty medical technician and they said no so he said no and stayed retired.