Reserves
Wow. Just wow.
I'm so sorry but I could only find it on FoxNews.com and a local newspaper.
The long and short of it is it that now the Reserves can be deployed as often as the Pentagon likes with no limits; only a 24 month total tour limit on Active Duty.
For those of you wondering what a Reservist's obligations are now:
Unlimited federal deployments/call-ups. This will in no way impact a Reservist's ability to be called up for State Active duty. Theoretically, you could be demob'd from Iraq in the summer only to fight fires, floods, or natural disasters and then be deployed somewhere else.
No recourse available to an individual to avoid further deployments as this effectively eliminates the previous system allowing a Reservist with so many days overseas in qualifying regions to "opt-out" of a deployment.
No hard plans to keep down number of days deployed. Only a vague plan to have a five year deployment cycle.
At least one weekend drill and an Annual training period consisting of at least two weeks.
In return for this:
You will qualify for 1/3 of the Montgomery GI Bill.
You will be paid a decent weekend's wage depending on rank. You will receive less than average pay two weeks out of the year.
Your state may give you more benefits. I am incredibly fortunate in that Minnesota is extremely considerate of the National Guard.
That's it.
(And for those of you wondering, I knew exactly what my obligations were contractually when I signed up. Sufficed to say, this changed ALL of that.)
Edit: To be less harsh. Which may aid me in the future.
"If Blizzard announces a subscription fee for Diablo III we will have to build a second Internet to make room for all the complaining." - muttonchop
If this kind of thing makes me this angry while I sit nice and cozy at my desk, I can't imagine what you must be feeling, Reaper.
NOTE: This is not a doodle bug.
Spore
So this sounds like a bait and switch move...they get you to sign up with one set of rules, then once they have your signature, they change the game on you?
I read this last night and my jaw dropped. I'm so sorry to hear about this. A double punch in the gut for those of you going on another tour.
I hope you get to go home soon after this.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070112/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq_military
XBox Live: DSGamer GWJ | PSN: DSGamerGWJ
Good luck, Reaper. Good luck to all US Reservists in the coming months and years.
Hyperbole - THE BEST THING EVER
Wow!
I think this one deserves a letter to my congressmen and senators.
Being fangoriously devoured by a gelatinous monster.
Geez man. I know you like what you do. We need more people to do it, somehow. Keep your head down and stay safe.
"Sometimes I go around saying, 'Kommisar Paulson has seized the commanding heights of the economy!'" - Paul Krugman, asked if recent changes to banking are socialistic.
Where did people expect all these extra troops to come from? Those who wanted more troops in Iraq are getting it, those who voted for Bush to serve a second term are getting what they asked for as well.
The reservists who have a big problem with it can always transfer over to active duty if they want to see some tough deployment schedules.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/12/washington/12guard.html
One year every five years, sounds like an easy schedule to me.
Semper Delectatio
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http://cannibalcrowley.blogspot.com/
The irony of a president that dishonored the Reserves by using it to try and hide from a war he was too afraid to fight abusing the honorable Reservists now - which were not meant for this kind of action - reinforces my certainty that this is one of the most selfish and self-centered Presidents our country has known. I have no doubt that he will go down as in history as a villain.
I can only imagine the severity of your disappointment Reaper. I heard the news on the local radio the other day, and my first thought was of your deployment.
"I think Elysium has the right of it" - Certis
I agree. In fact, I'm going to call my older brother who is currently in the second phase of his basic training, to encourage him to go active. He will actually be deployed less.
In theory, yes. However, as you read, carefully note the use of the words like, 'intend', 'probably', and 'should.' No one has yet declared this as the "official" plan. It is merely what the Pentagon would like to do.
And to speak on the defunct COTTAD (coh-tee-tad) program, the reason it was enacted was because a pattern of deploying the same National Guard units was developing. Former SecDef. Rumsfeld tried to put the kaibosh on that. It was probably the only good thing he ever did.
"If Blizzard announces a subscription fee for Diablo III we will have to build a second Internet to make room for all the complaining." - muttonchop
Sorry to hear this buddy. There can be no Season 2 of the GWJ 2 on 2 to 2 basketball tournament without you.
"All that time you waste dating and having sex could be better spent scouring the web for new game developer press releases." - Quintin_Stone
Sorry to hear that, man.
Let's hope you'll continue to have interwebs access.
Xbox Live tag Gorilla800lbs
Reaper, what they're doing to you is criminal.
Just a continued down spiral. last year when they made it possible to keep people in for ANOTHER deployment when there active duty status was about to be done I was slammed by those talking about volunteer service.
One of the most important things to a servicemember is the ability to think and plan about their time and career when they have done their duty. If you take away that, you get disgruntled workers at the least.
I don't think I've ever said this sentence before, but man would I love to hump that butterfly.-- KrazyTaco
One phone call and you're melting like butter over my kettle pop. -- Edwin to Mex
2005 GWJFFL2 Champion
I never minded piracy. Anyone who minds about piracy is full of sh*t. Anyone who pirates your game wasn't going to buy it anyway! -Warren Spector