Soldier, 71, Called Back To Active Duty

The Associated Press ^ | November 11, 2005

[Moonraker]

Dr. Everett Spees, a cardiothoracic surgeon at several local hospitals who helped to develop the field of organ transplants, was a bit startled to find the Army calling, asking if he'd volunteer. A retired colonel, he'd offered his services on the day after Sept. 11, 2001, but no one called back for more than two years -- after the military was thoroughly embroiled in Iraq and needing more soldiers.

[Old Grumpy]

Good story. Once a soldier, always a soldier. Our country should be proud of this man.

[cynicom]

Firstly, you do not see very many much younger MDs volunteering for such duty. The most are far to selfish to feel that perhaps they might GIVE something back to their country.

Secondly...This is very worthy of quoting...

"After two years of college at the University of Tennessee, he went through an accelerated program developed in World War II to train doctors in just three years of medical school.

[Shaun_MD]

I bet he's as happy as a kid in a candy store to be serving again. God bless him.

[usmcobra]

I'll go, and I'm still under fifty.

[A message]

Good story. Once a soldier, always a soldier. Our country should be proud of this man.

Agreed, Old Grumpy.

But here is the real point of AP's propaganda.

With a shortfall of 24,000 troops in the Army Reserve and Army National Guard, the military is trying new ways to fill the gap.

Nicely embedded in the middle of the article.

After 2,000 fallen heroes, America is down to calling up old men and teenage boys to fight the battle.

Here they use a heart warm story to spin their garbage and puke.

[DakotaGator]

From the article; "You know, I'm regular Army -- you're supposed to be available all your life" for a call-up, Spees said.

Very important point, those who have completed careers in the regular services are not retired in the civilian sense of the word. Their names are shifted from the Active List to the Retired List. But they stay in their service for life at reduced pay and are subject to recall in accordance with the needs of the service.

Colonel Spees answered the call to duty. He truly is "Regular Army"!

[cynicom]

It is always the same type of man that answers the call for his country. MSM would have us believe that the current war is the only one that has been fought by a few Americans.

In the Revolutionary War, only thirty per cent of Americans did the fighting and dying, the rest sat on their hands or aided the King.

Always, the majority that did nothing, enjoy what was bought by the blood of the few.

[Gay State Conservative]

You've gotta give the Doctor a lot of credit for his loyalty and dedication.It would be easy to understand,after the outstanding service he had already given,if he had said "no thanks!"

I'm convinced that he,and the other Doctors who said "yes",qualify for membership in "The Greatest Generation".

[Gay State Conservative]

But they stay in their service for life at reduced pay and are subject to recall in accordance with the needs of the service.

Although I wasn't an officer (and,therefore,am uncertain of this) I don't think this applies with officers who resign their commission.

[tubebender]

Stand by for a phone call from your friendly recruiter...

[NormsRevenge]

A cheeseburger and fries basket and a beer a day and Im ready to go. ;-)

[DakotaGator]

Although I wasn't an officer (and,therefore,am uncertain of this) I don't think this applies with officers who resign their commission.

You are correct.

My post concerned those who had completed their careers in the regular services. Not only do they retain their commissions. But those commissions are for life.

Those who have resigned their commissions have not completed an armed forces career. Though they have served honorably, they are no longer in the service.

[Gay State Conservative]

Those who have resigned their commissions have not completed an armed forces career.Though they have served honorably,they are no longer in the service.

Either the Armed Forces have a definition of the word "career" which is different from the one I'd use,or you and I are assigning different definitions to that word.

Ordinarily,those who serve honorably for at least 20 years (or less in cases of disability) are entitled to a pension.That's what I'd define as a "career".

[George W. Bush]

In the Revolutionary War, only thirty per cent of Americans did the fighting and dying, the rest sat on their hands or aided the King. Always, the majority that did nothing, enjoy what was bought by the blood of the few.

Actually, the entire population of the new republic ended up paying considerably higher taxes for the rest of their lives. Previously, Britain had paid the costs of defending them. After independence, they had to pay for their own defence against Indians and the French and an annoyed Britain.

The entire revolution was about taxation without representation. Britain was trying to tax the colonies to help defray part of the costs of protecting them. The colonies wouldn't allow it without representation in Parliament, something the ruling class of Britain would never grant to the rabble colonist scum (that would be us).

Eventually, the colonies benefitted from domestic manufacture, having previously been forbidden to manufacture and only supplying raw materials to Britain's industries. Empires always operate this way unless they are merely looting gold or other precious commodities. But that much greater long-term economic benefit to ordinary Americans came long after the Revolution, when significant manufacturing and export markets and infrastructure were developed.

[cynicom]

At the end of the Revolutionary war many Americans moved to Canada. So there was an example for future Americans to follow.

[eleni121]

God bless him and all who serve so that we can go on with our daily lives.

That said, if the time came for us to help over there or here, we are ready.

[George W. Bush]

But the result was the War Of 1812, our attempt to expel the British Empire from North America, a way to stop the Brits from harassing our outlying borders. Brits resisted our invasion of Canada (I think there were WMDs up there or something), then burned our capitol with our president fleeing, we then burned York (Toronto, the Tory capitol). Eventually, peace broke out and America and Canada were established firmly as nations. Fighting that war really did cement the national indentities of Canada and America. It's interesting stuff, often neglected in civics courses.

[Moonman62]

Many more came to America. The population doubled very quickly.

[cynicom]

Those that came were looking for a better life, willing to work and knew there were no handouts. That is what helped make this country.