<p>Sorry guys. I was doing some deep introspective thinking, and I realize that I support literacy among kids in Somalia. So, like Cherrybarry says, I am going to fly there tomorrow and begin teaching the kids. So long CC!</p>
<p>now that I think of it, I realllyyyy feel bad for those Chernobyl survivors suffering from radiation poisoning and cancer. CYA CC! I'm off to Russia to disinfect some Russian homies!</p>
<p>I know this is NOT something to laugh about, as the situations are so tragic. But it reminds me of the scene in "In and Out", when gradually the entire graduating class and all the parents and community members stand up in unison and shout, "I'm gay!" in support of the teacher....</p>
<p>vancat...</p>
<p>one question:</p>
<p>if not you, then who?</p>
<p>those disadvantaged kids who don't even support the war?</p>
<p>so you outsource this job too?</p>
<p>The air you're breathing right now very might have been produced by plants in China. Maybe you should stop breathing it if you don't like outsourcing jobs to other areas of the world. If not you, then who?</p>
<p>you mean the BAD air I'm breathing right now</p>
<p>look, i've been to China and my boogers got so dirty they turned black</p>
<p>i would like to breathe some clean air again...don't you?</p>
<p>patient said:
[quote]
Yes, higher percentage of minorities and poor. By a LOOOONG shot. I would also like to see the demographics of the ones being killed in combat positions.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Here'ya go patient. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/%5B/url%5D">http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/</a></p>
<p>Look at their faces! Tell us what you see.</p>
<p>What you said obviously isnt true. And I think you knew it wasnt true. The purpose of your post was to be heartlessly hurtful to those that have lost children or spouses in the war. In your mind your politics justify such hateful drivel. </p>
<p>I hope it makes you feel better. And I hope you remember this post for the rest of your life.</p>
<p>i would be willing to fight in iraq if i was called, but instead i have decided to go to college and hopefuly get a medical degree. possibly during or after i get an md i will join the armed forces. i would consider it an honor to fight or do whatever will help our armed forces. contrary to what many people beleive most people in iraq support the war and are willing to fight there. also many of you beleive that the people in the army are the poorer ones. I kno many people who started their life poor and the military gave them the will to be successfull in life, and they were.</p>
<p>I've never felt serving to be a duty when asked. I never formed that opinion consciously, I don't think, it just doesn't click for me.</p>
<p><em>IF</em> there's ever another draft, and I'm still of-age, I will first hopefully find a legal way to get out of it. If that doesn't exist, I'd probably allow authorities to arrest me, or I'd try to go to France or The Netherlands, or somesuch.</p>
<p>I will not let either of my children go to war in Iraq.
I do however beleive in everyone giving a year of service or two as Bush campaigned on last time, ( Of course funding was then cut so that those who were serving couldn't actually get their full benefits)</p>
<p>Just saw this\
<the army="" announced="" last="" year="" that="" it="" would="" involuntarily="" activate="" an="" estimated="" 5,600="" soldiers="" to="" serve="" in="" iraq,="" afghanistan="" and="" elsewhere.="" officials="" be="" tapping="" members="" of="" the="" individual="" ready="" reserve="" -="" military="" who="" have="" been="" discharged="" from="" army,="" or="" national="" guard,="" but="" still="" contractual="" obligations="" military.=""></the></p>
<p>Involuntary- thats like forced right?
I read about one soldier who is suing after he spent 8 years in military 13 years ago who has been informed that he is ordered to report for duty and he has been reactivated against his wishes. How can they do that?</p>
<p>
[quote]
ust saw this\
<the army="" announced="" last="" year="" that="" it="" would="" involuntarily="" activate="" an="" estimated="" 5,600="" soldiers="" to="" serve="" in="" iraq,="" afghanistan="" and="" elsewhere.="" officials="" be="" tapping="" members="" of="" the="" individual="" ready="" reserve="" -="" military="" who="" have="" been="" discharged="" from="" army,="" or="" national="" guard,="" but="" still="" contractual="" obligations="" military.="">
Involuntary- thats like forced right?
[/quote]
</the></p>
<p>GYAAAAAAAHHH. Jeez. Once a soldier signs up and takes his oath, he/she is fullly aware of the fact that after they serve their active tours of duty, they are still placed in an Inactive Individual Ready Reserve status. This has been the case for quite a while now, and it is meant to provide a small number of additional experienced troops (especially in specialized roles) when a situation calls for it. We did this back in the First Gulf War too, so its not that much of a surprise.</p>
<p>The "involuntary" means that it is an ORDER, which the soldiers will obey because it is simply part of their obligation to the service that they must fill for the rest of their term. </p>
<p>Please please read this information article about the Ready Reserve.
<a href="http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/usar-irr.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/usar-irr.htm</a></p>
<p>I was commenting on the lawsuit by a soldier that drove a truck during the Gulf war for several years and served the remainder of his time in the reserves.(He says he was never told he was being transferred to the Individual ready Reserve unit )
So after a soldier has served in active duty and after they have served in reserves to fulfill their commitment, how long are they held in an inactive ready reserve status?
Another question, once someone has been injured ( say fairly severly like having their foot blown off) are they transferred to a desk job or are they able to be discharged?</p>
<p>So the IRR is supposed to be used in case of "national emergency"
Is the war in Iraq a national emergency now?</p>
<p>
[quote]
So the IRR is supposed to be used in case of "national emergency"
Is the war in Iraq a national emergency now?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Simple answer. NO
The IRR is a method by which the military retains experienced soldiers, especially ones who work in very specialized fields. (aka NOT infantry, etc...) The IRR is nothing new, we have used in in the first Gulf War as well as immediately following 9/11. The majority of those called up are usually National Guard or Reserve members-again, most of them who have specialized jobs such as logistics, transportation, electronics, etc...</p>
<p>in case you were wondering, the entire military went through massive drawdowns in power following the end of the Cold War. As a result, the National guard, reserves, and active forces went through a serious change in operations. Basically, most combat specialities (armor, infantry, artillery, etc) was retained in the Active army. However, many specialized posts (transportation, maintenance, electronics, etc) were moved to Reserve or Guard units. This is why the individual Ready Reserve is being called up, mostly among Guard and Reserve personell. It is to provide a number of additional troops for certain specialized tasks that a situation dicates.</p>
<p>Thanks for the explanation, so my brother who retired from service wouldn't be called up as he was retired, but someone who was transferred to Reserves, did their time although they weren't active, could still be called up if they weren't activated in the Reserves?</p>
<p>My brother, too is a retiree, and he would not be called up. What he told me was that the situation fo the IRR has always existed. But it has been very rare that it has ever been called up. Doesn't bode too well that they are being tapped. It certainly is possible that someone might not be aware that of the provisions that come with being IRR but not from lack of info given, as you do have to sign off on it. But if you do not read it carefully and think out the possibilities but go by what has happened in the past, you would not think it is probable that the IRR would be called up except as a last resort. There are those who are in the IRR that have had nothing to do with any form of military for a while and may have well forgotten that they were still on the hook, unlike those in the active reserve or the Guard units.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Thanks for the explanation, so my brother who retired from service wouldn't be called up as he was retired, but someone who was transferred to Reserves, did their time although they weren't active, could still be called up if they weren't activated in the Reserves?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Usually, after they finish their service, there will still be a window (can't remember exactly how long-a couple years maybe) where they are still under IRR status. After that window expires and they are not called up, I believe they are finally free. If your brother has been retired for a while, then no way is he going to be called back up.</p>
<p>Don't know about that, vancat. My B recently retired, a colonel, a Westpointer. And he tells me that there is no way he is going to be called up. And he is relatively young, to boot and experienced in many of the weaponry and tactics used as he was in the last Gulf War. Although, if there is a true national emergency, even retirees can be called up. His take is that he would voluntarily return at that stage of the game, but is totally relaxed about the current situation.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Don't know about that, vancat. My B recently retired, a colonel, a Westpointer. And he tells me that there is no way he is going to be called up. And he is relatively young, to boot and experienced in many of the weaponry and tactics used as he was in the last Gulf War. Although, if there is a true national emergency, even retirees can be called up. His take is that he would voluntarily return at that stage of the game, but is totally relaxed about the current situation.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Simple answer. your B (whatever taht is) was a Colonel, an officer, who retired. This means that he probably resigned his commission.(did he?) Therefore, he is no longer part of the IRR and will NOT be called up again. Even if his commission is still not resigned, then he still isn't going to be called up.</p>
<p>Different rules of service apply to officers and enlisted men, however.</p>
<p>respnding to the original question about the soldier suing:</p>
<p>if he was an enlisted soldier who filled out his entire term of service (8years in any combination of active, reserve, or Ready Reserve status) AND did not choose to re-enlist, then probably somebody at Army HRC screwd up.</p>
<p>Most likely, this is true. The guy got screwed over by a mistake up in the chain of command, and does not need to serve any more time.</p>