Tap into experience

ARTICLE: 'The Geezer Brigade: Wartime needs and military retirees,' BY RALPH PETERS, Armed Forces Journal

A sensible notion I have long considered to be a natural for the SysAdmin function. Good piece.

Thanks to Jay Soob for sending this.

Comments

[Skippy-san]

There are a couple of problems with this approach and one big legal issue that needs to be overcome.

1) DOD has bought into the notion that retirement pay is "property" thus allowing it to be divisible in divorce settlements-much to the disadvantge of service members. This proposal could be a way to fix that flawed law once and for all

2) Second, I think you have to quard against a phenomenom that exists today with some folks- a class of "professionally unemployed" rears up that goes from one OX assignment to another-and in the interim probably does not contribute as much as some of the civilian contractors who could be fired would

3) There OX folks would get considerable resentment from the Active Duty folks I would think. That is why-despite all the flaws of the present system, I think its probably best for the Armed Services in the long run. American Society benefits from the skills that our retirees bring to the table and that's probably better for the country in the long run.

[Michael]

For some reason, I keep trying to imagine what the rank insignia looks like, and a stylized cow's head comes to mind. Better than crossed crutches on a wheelchair, but. . .

[Lexington Green]

The insignia should be the head of a greek warrior with his helmet pushed back, and the warrior should have a grey beard. It would symbolize Nestor, the senior warrior among the Greeks in Agamemnon's army before the walls of Troy, who brought experience and wise counsel to the leadership, and who despite his age was still fit enough to fight with spear and shield when needed.

The motto on the badge should be "return to the fight", in recognition of Nestor, even though wounded, returning to the fight when the Trojans were winning.

I think this is all an obvious choice!