uncle sam wants you -- even if you're 42

http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-983408.php

 

There already are Guardsmen that age walking point over there. (A guy from my town is a grandfather and on his second tour.)
WPE

 

Understatement of the day/week/month/year.

Rep. Vic Snyder of Arkansas, the subcommittee’s ranking Democrat, also vowed to help.

“Recruitment is a challenge right now,” Snyder said.

 

A friend of my brother's got back from Iraq & Afghanistan last fall after spending 18 months overseas. His guard reserve unit was called up and even though he was just a couple of months from retiring, he went overseason.

He was 49 at the time.

Had an interesting talk with him when he got back but it was apparent that he was still pretty stressed out by the tour. He said that at night, the helicoptors would take off and hover about 200 feet above the landing pad, launch a couple of rockets and then land. They never went anywhere. They just needed to be a little higher to use its weapons.

When he got sent overseas, my brother and a bunch of his friends coordinated an effort to make sure that he got at least one lengthy email a day from a friend. When he got back, he mentioned how that helped him get through the experience. So if you know anybody over there -- even if you have met just once or twice -- send them an email because it is appreciated.

 

Couldn't go again even if I wanted to, but as long as I could go back into the Navy (and have a rank appropriate to what I had before, my experience now, age, etc.) then I'd put those blues on again.

 

The problem is, alley, you'd be over in Baghdad driving a truck. friend of mine did a year and, one day on his patrol, the crew of his armored gun vehicle consisted of two guys from the Air Force and a Machinist's Mate 2d.

 

Not likely. I was a journalist in the Navy and we're not very good at driving anything (except the captain, nuts).

 

You and Woodward, eh?

 

I guess I'd better ask at the consulate whether I need to register for selective service. I'm 36.

At least I won't have to worry about my boys. If they get called up after coming of age, I'll just kick their asses back across the border to Canada.