Army ending retirees’ volunteer program

The Washington Times reports that the Army is ending a program that allowed retirees to return to service to help fill critical slots;

Lt. Col. George Wright, 55, an Army spokesman — himself a program participant who signed up to return to service in 2007 after nine years of retirement — said the program is being terminated because the Army had to reduce personnel to reach a congressionally mandated limit on the total number of soldiers.

“The end of the program is driven by end-strength concerns,” he said, adding that the Army was engaged in a constant process of managing its size by “fine-tuning” its enlistment and retention figures.

According to the Times, participation in the program has been broader than most of Americans probably realize;

Since the program began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, 2,851 veterans with 20 years or more experience – mostly between the ages of 45 and 55 – have passed through the program, according to Army figures. Nearly 750 have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Army figures show three participants have been wounded and one — Maj. Steven Hutchison, 60, of Scottsdale, Ariz. — has been killed.

One volunteer was inspired by the troops she cared for at Walter Reed;

[Master Sgt. Donna Thomas, 51] who is currently serving with the Multi-National Security Transition Command in Iraq, told The Washington Times that 11 months after retiring in 2006 following 22 years of active service, she decided to re-enlist while working as a civilian at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Her inspiration came from wounded soldiers she met.

“They had such great attitudes. They all wanted to come back,” she said. “It made me feel that I needed to renew my own commitment.”

Actually, that’s what inspired me to volunteer for the program. The son of one of my friends from my high school days was in Walter Reed and lost half of one leg in a helicopter crash in the early days of the Iraq war. When I visited him, he was adamant about staying in the Army and returning to Iraq. How can you not be tempted to serve with a generation of soldiers like him.

But, unfortunately, it was not to be. My medical record since retirement sounds much worse than it actually is, so the Army rejected me (so much for the Left’s line that they’ll take anyone and send them to war).

Not every retiree will be forced out when the program ends, though;

Col. Wright said the Army began phasing out the program in March and would end it by October, sending home the 1,163 retirees now enrolled.

A few exceptions with special skills — 41 to date — could be approved to remain in service.

Category: Support the troops, Terror War