Ted, I'm not sure you caught the vocabulary, but when GDER used the term "stop loss" he meant that, even though he was eligible to retire by federal law, the Department of Defense used the war on terrorism as justification to hold up his retirement until they deemed him dispensable. It's the equivalent of the WWII assignment "for the duration". Not only could he not drop out (despite being "vested" to do so) he wasn't even able to learn when he would be permitted to retire.
Many civilians didn't have the choice to ease out, either. Several on this board exploited buy-out opportunities or were forced into early retirement. A military retirement doesn't "tail off", you can't "consult", and you sure can't go part time. And, although it's going to take another world war to do so, military retirees are still subject to recall. I don't think many civilians would accept a retirement from their company if they were required to adhere to its code of conduct and be ready to go to work on 30 days' notice. While I'm flattered that someone still thinks highly enough of my TOMAHAWK skills to threaten me with a chance to use them again, I'm not impressed enough to go hanging around the weapons shop to freshen my resume'.
You have a way of expressing your sentiments to antagonize instead of persuade. You could rhapsodize about much better it is for most retirees to tail off gradually, to build up their hobbies, to consult part-time or volunteer, to ease into retirement activities, etc. You could stress the advantages of slowing down instead of pulling the ejection lever. Instead you seem to choose to vilify those of us who feel the need for a vacation and who elect to STOP to pursue other activities.
Your devotion to denigrating the perceived "dropouts" is crossing the line between "persuasive discourse" and "trolling". I propose that you focus on the positive side of your method of retirement and the pleasures it brings you. In return I'll keep talking about the things that I enjoy doing, too, especially when I can educate people who are clearly unhappy with their current avocations yet can't (or won't) assume responsibility for their own fulfillment & entertainment. I also won't derogate those who can't make a "clean break" or go "cold turkey" of being "unable to commit to ER" and "wimps".
But before I do, I'll say once again that I spent 24 years defending the right of guys like you to make inflammatory statements about ex-Marines and dying Americans. Perhaps I should remind you that, unlike many of your combat compatriots, today all of these people are volunteers. They weren't coerced into doing something they didn't embrace. I have a lot of friends & acquaintances (in all the services!) risking their assets to defend our right to live our lives as we choose, and every one of them would trade places with any of us ERs in a heartbeat. They also know that we've more than paid our dues, and they don't begrudge anyone who "drops out". Instead, they're hoping to live vicariously through our example and they look forward to emulating it. I look forward to teaching them.
So if you're gonna leave the board, then LEAVE already. If you're gonna stay, then be polite!!
Many civilians didn't have the choice to ease out, either. Several on this board exploited buy-out opportunities or were forced into early retirement. A military retirement doesn't "tail off", you can't "consult", and you sure can't go part time. And, although it's going to take another world war to do so, military retirees are still subject to recall. I don't think many civilians would accept a retirement from their company if they were required to adhere to its code of conduct and be ready to go to work on 30 days' notice. While I'm flattered that someone still thinks highly enough of my TOMAHAWK skills to threaten me with a chance to use them again, I'm not impressed enough to go hanging around the weapons shop to freshen my resume'.
You have a way of expressing your sentiments to antagonize instead of persuade. You could rhapsodize about much better it is for most retirees to tail off gradually, to build up their hobbies, to consult part-time or volunteer, to ease into retirement activities, etc. You could stress the advantages of slowing down instead of pulling the ejection lever. Instead you seem to choose to vilify those of us who feel the need for a vacation and who elect to STOP to pursue other activities.
Your devotion to denigrating the perceived "dropouts" is crossing the line between "persuasive discourse" and "trolling". I propose that you focus on the positive side of your method of retirement and the pleasures it brings you. In return I'll keep talking about the things that I enjoy doing, too, especially when I can educate people who are clearly unhappy with their current avocations yet can't (or won't) assume responsibility for their own fulfillment & entertainment. I also won't derogate those who can't make a "clean break" or go "cold turkey" of being "unable to commit to ER" and "wimps".
But before I do, I'll say once again that I spent 24 years defending the right of guys like you to make inflammatory statements about ex-Marines and dying Americans. Perhaps I should remind you that, unlike many of your combat compatriots, today all of these people are volunteers. They weren't coerced into doing something they didn't embrace. I have a lot of friends & acquaintances (in all the services!) risking their assets to defend our right to live our lives as we choose, and every one of them would trade places with any of us ERs in a heartbeat. They also know that we've more than paid our dues, and they don't begrudge anyone who "drops out". Instead, they're hoping to live vicariously through our example and they look forward to emulating it. I look forward to teaching them.
So if you're gonna leave the board, then LEAVE already. If you're gonna stay, then be polite!!