While in the Marine Corps I signed up to receive emails from a website called Military.com. In the subject line of the latest email I saw right away, "retiree recall". It piques my interest of course, being retired for just over a year, so I delved into an email that I usually discard as a matter of course. Here is the headline the phrase refers to...

"Army Announces Retiree Recall Opportunity"

I don't know, maybe in the Army it's different, but I've never heard of a Marine that looked upon a 'Recall' as an 'Opportunity'. My first reaction was a little more vulgar, of course. "You've gotta be fuckin shittin me!!" :) When the military recalls people, retired or otherwise, it's pretty much associated with 'involuntary'. It's the first I've heard of a voluntary recall, but that doesn't mean it never happens. In fact, it's probably more likely I just haven't been paying attention. Still, to call it an 'opportunity' seems just a little odd, as if you need to hurry on down to your local ship yard cause your ship just came in!!!!

Of course I have to read the article, I've wasted time getting this far, may as well...

"The Army's Casualty and Memorial Affairs Operations Center (CMAOC) is seeking qualified retired Soldiers for voluntary recall to active duty for a one-year tour of duty, with possible extension....

...to include assisting with the return of fallen Soldiers to their loved ones, ensuring coordination for funeral honors, and tracking the return of personal effects to the family. This is a sensitive mission that requires professionalism, sensitivity, good communication skills and tact, especially when communicating with the families of Soldiers who are injured, ill, missing, or deceased."

These duties are usually carried out by a regular officer, at least that's the way it is in the Marine Corps. If it's an officer that has perished, then two officers - if it's an enlisted, then an officer and a senior enlisted visit the family. Think about it, would you find this job pleasant? Would anyone in their right mind actually want this responsibility? Of course not, that's why it is delegated to the uninitiated officers and enlisted. There isn't any specific office that is assigned to this task, it just doesn't happen often enough, at least not during relative inactivity. I know, we are supposed to be 'at war' with Iraq, but this skirmish that Bush has shoved down everyone's throat as just another part of the 'war on terrorism' isn't producing casualties at world war proportions.

So, there is no need for designated personnel assigned to such a task. Generally what happens is, like I said, the task is delegated to the uninitiated - meaning the task is passed around by senior personnel to available officers that have yet to experience be the bearer of sad tidings. I'd like to know who's bright idea it was to try and slough off this undesirable task on people that have done their time!

"Colonel so-and-so, we know you've done your time, and glad to have had you. But could you see your way clear to helping us out with these little details we can't stomach?"

There may be some to 'answer the call'. Most I believe will probably murmer something about being to busy with other things. Then there are the few that would be dumbfounded by the idea, and after thinking about it for a few respond with a loud and emphatic, "Fuck off!!!"