What I meant was if the manditory retirement age is at 65 and they accept up to age 45, a person could retire in 20 years at age 65, and have a pension. I know quite a few "geezers" (over age 35) who could run circles around most 18 year olds.
These state organizations vary widely in quality and mission. For about 9 years, I got to serve in the state defense force that is probably the best in the country, by far, the Indiana Guard Reserve (IGR).
To see if your state has a organization (or to see if there's one in a nearby state) just click here for the State Guard Association.
The reason why I got out in 2002 after 22 years in service was because I could no longer keep up with guys half my age. I was, therefore, a liability to the unit. The true test of a warrior is to know when he must turn the reins over to the next generation. Anything else is just ego and misplaced testosterone talking.
got it- I see where you're coming from...depending on your rank, etc...you can stay in a long time...I could have done 30 years of warrant officer service had I wanted to, which would have put me out right around 63 years old- the problem is, when you stretch into that middle 40's mark, you're really starting to slow down; you've already put in a couple of decades of wear and tear on your body- I could run a sub 12 minute two mile when I was 32, and even though I still work out everyday, I can't come close to that now...when I got to where I couldn't push the 18 year olds, I knew it was time to go...but that's just me...