Comments

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  Bob Coombs May 16, 2013 at 4:30pm

  I remember my boot company had several 2 year reservist's. That was a poke in the ribs to me as my recuiter told me the reserves were full, and four years active duty was my only choice, take it or leave it! I took it, but when it came time for my re-up speech, I remembered!

  The local National Guard was also full, and seemed to be the most popular way of dodging the draft. The only action NG friends saw was the Watts riots. Not so today, as the town troops did end up going to Iraq.
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  Thomas Collier May 16, 2013 at 1:03pm

  The reality Dan, is that the VA is not funded for the returning, either in medical or mental care.Those of us who had had to fight for our benefits know what is ahead for our returning brothers and sisters. Maybe we should evaluate our commitment to foreign aid and military support and direct it to the needy. If any of you members have never visited a VA hospital or care facility, I urge you to do  so. When I minister the homeless I try to weekly visit the care home and comfort as many as possible. A visit from a fellow brother or sister brings up the spirit of many.
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  Daniel J Chesley May 16, 2013 at 12:36pm

  Your right Thomas, very few reservists or national guard folks were called up during Viet Nam. And today's vets go on one combat tour after another. Theres going to be a lot of vets who are going to be overwhelmed with PTSD, if they are not already.
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  Thomas Collier May 16, 2013 at 11:56am

  I am not a fatalist, but have noticed that we have committed 70% of our home guard to the 2 wars. Who is watching the home front? Never seemed to me that we in the past needed to commit our reserves to our on going conflicts I know first hand I did not sleep thru Viet Nam, but I remember serving with very few reserves-est. Hope we did not fall in that category of "I'm my worst enemy."
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  Daniel J Chesley May 16, 2013 at 11:08am

  There are so many things that have changed in the military since my day. Pay is so much better. I think you really have to excel now to make it a career. But with things winding down in Afganistan and Iraq I wonder if there will be a lot of cutbacks.I remember the old recruiting poster from the early 60's. "The Navy, a Honorable Profession". It was and still is, maybe some kids just don't want to make the commitment. Thank God there are those who do.
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  Thomas Collier May 16, 2013 at 9:52am

  Pat, just a question about your concern of relatives.Are you a parent?
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  Daniel J Chesley May 15, 2013 at 12:00am

  By the way Pat, my brother was a AZC who was with P-3 Orions out of Brunswick, Me. Retired on instruction duty there shortly after Desert Storm. 
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  Daniel J Chesley May 14, 2013 at 11:53pm

  Yeah Pat from some folks. Others that I know would love for their kids to get the heck off the couch and join something.
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  Pat Henderson May 14, 2013 at 9:09pm

     Lately I've begun to run up against a strange attitude, wherein parents or grandparents support our military troops, but don't want their children or grandchildren to serve.

     I realize that raising a young person to adulthood requires an intense emotional investment, doing everything possible to prevent them from coming to harm. But how can people believe that discouraging family military service is going to make their young people's lives safer?

     Has anyone else run into this attitude.

    
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  Lindsey E. Ford HMC (SW) May 14, 2013 at 6:05pm

  They can do that! Sexual orientation has nothing to do with following orders or doing the job, they have been doing it for decades!