Posted on Dec 1, 2014
If America needs you again, would you be willing to return to active duty one grade lower?
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If you read Once an Eagle, you know the hero was up and down in permanent and temporary ranks based on the needs of the military...but you might not know that one of my personal heroes, Gen. Andrew Goodpaster (SACEUR) took a downgrade to 3- star rank to command his beloved West Point. If we had full mobilization or even partial mobilization, what about you?
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Posted 11 y ago
Responses: 146
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Yes. That being said I had orders to be promoted to 1st Sgt. when I retired, so would that make me an SFC? Lol I would even take SSG to come back. In three years I will have my doctorate in Organizational Leadership, so I don't think they will go with rank reduction in my case, besides us forward observers are a dime a dozen.
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If America needs me again the president will have orders cut orders transferring me from the Retired Reserve to Active Duty. I would maintain the same rank and have opportunity for promotion again while on Active Duty. Gen. Andrew evidently wasn't "needed", he wanted to satisfy and ambition.
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SGM (Join to see)
MSG Dowler, in the late 70s and mid 80s, some retirees were given retirement orders that stated their recall rank and unit of assignment as "hip pocket" orders. Some were called for "muster"--one paid day, to test the system until 1989. Just FYI, your recall rank SHOULD be the same, but could be higher or lower; for most enlisted soldiers it is the retired list rank (but not for all). The West Point position was a 3 Star only, so any 4 Star selected/appointed had to accept the lower rank.
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MSG Mitch Dowler
Perhaps it is different now than then. Now if you are recalled by orders you will maintain your rank and suitable position. General ranks may be their own thing. I am just a proud NCO.
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Absolutely not. The Air Force throws out a lot of great people with sharp skills and nothing but dedication, destroying their careers and livelihood (and turning the service into crap as well). For me this came at 15 years of service. After spending years to try and rebuild our lives along a different path if the Air Force offered a "chance" to serve again at a lower grade I'd just shake my head and tell them where to go. People need more consistently and to be able to plan their future out because we all get old at some point and can't start over all the time. My branch of service has proven it doesn't care about human capital and is not willing to fight for what is right. At times it seems as if it is a political organization rather than a branch of the military. I cannot recommend any your person serve in today's Air Force. It's just a waste of thier formative and productive earning years.
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SGM (Join to see)
LT COL Readnour, I can understand and respect your point of view. Have seen a lot of things such as you describe that don't seem to make sense.
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Col (Join to see)
I don't mean to sound negative, but it’s a lot different if you've invested 12-15 of your most productive years into this thing and then to find yourself RIF'd out for basically political reasons (desire for the WH to shrink the military). If you have an O6 or O5 retirement or any retirement for that matter and didn't have to completely start over as a 40-something year old and try and salvage things and pick up the pieces, then I can understand why a lot of people would love to get back into the uniform and get all nostalgic. I too would find that fun. But the reality is that the Air Force (and the other services as well) is a machine and it doesn’t care about you or I as much as we’d like to think it does. Whenever it is convenient to breech its contract with us it will be as simple as “sorry – needs of the service” and you’re out on unemployment looking for a job wondering what happened. Today’s military leaders have very little, if any, compassion or integrity and it is as cut throat as I’ve ever seen. I cannot recommend that my son or daughter or anyone else enter into the military these days – it’s changed since I first entered in 1990.
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SGM (Join to see)
Lt Col Readnour...ah, but pity those poor souls whom were recalled for duty in WWII, Korea, Vietnam. My late uncle BG (USAF) T.S. Coberly was recalled as a colonel for Vietnam; he shot down two MIGs in Korea. Other people I know were "reverted" to enlisted status or warrants then "advanced" back to their previous rank, and some were "reverted" back again.
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SGM (Join to see)
I would, but I don't think that should be a requirement. Of course there isn't a lot of need for extra E-9s. I'd be glad to be called back as a Battalion Intel Sergeant or 1SG.
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PFC Stephen Eric Serati
MSG.Fowler if I was called on,title wouldn't matter.Besides there isn't much difference between E-2 and E-3.
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