[Magdalen] Everett @ the DMV.

Tue May 10 18:35:50 UTC 2016

My Navy friend (a 31 year man) just had his retirement reduced and he is 10+ 
years into it AND has friends still in the services who are often 'rolled 
out' for one reason(excuse?) or another before they hit 20 years - so no 
pension. What??? And locally I heard that even as the VA is becoming more 
'sympathetic' to the mental issues plaguing our veterans, they are often 
discharging them dishonorably so they wind up with nothing, not even regular 
VA health care,  the only privilege remaining for the short term enlister 
for putting their life on the line for the decisions of the powers that be. 
THIS IS JUST WRONG. And I can't figure out why this crap continues to roll 
out, in increasing categories.

I sometimes wonder why the powers that be don't think that after being 
poked, poked, poked to death the marginalized  in this country (and their 
categories keep growing) won't one day poke back.  Maybe they think that 
guns will solve the problem... as if only one side is armed (no, no, no, 
that's another conversation, and I am not anti gun, but I am pro reasonable 
gun control - which is actually an oxymoron in today's world where our 
country has probably enough weaponry in private hands to arm the world).

(guess my rant mode was not *actually* turned off, just muted briefly)

Lynn, pushing away from computer where I've allowed myself to be stuck this 
morning, so I can work... waaay too much on my table this week.

website: www.ichthysdesigns.com

When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have not a 
single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave me." 
attributed to Erma Bombeck
 "Either Freedom for all or stop talking about Freedom at all" from a talk 
by Richard Rohr

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Jay Weigel" <jay.weigel at gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 12:12 PM
To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Subject: Re: [Magdalen] Everett @ the DMV.

> Amen to what you just said, Lynn. My other-son John Minarik is a career 
> NCO
> in the Army Airborne and an Arabic language specialist. He reported the
> other day that he "still has a job", what with the various cuts. He used 
> to
> be an MP so I know pretty much what his job requires him to do when he is
> deployed. I try not to think about it too much.  I just love him and pray
> for him daily and don't want him to be screwed over when he retires.
>
> On Tue, May 10, 2016 at 12:53 PM, Lynn Ronkainen <houstonklr at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Christopher>why are only men required to register for the selective
>> service?
>>
>>
>> Good point Christopher. I'm not sure if the ability for women to serve in
>> combat will change that as I think that is still *voluntary* once they've
>> enlisted, but maybe that will move women closer to this requirement of
>> registering because if they can serve in combat (even if by choice) they
>> can be counted -- or GOD forbid, another draft - I'm sure *all* able 
>> bodied
>> young men and women would be required in that case. I do think that 
>> having
>> a draft wakes most people up to the real tragedies of combat and possibly
>> tempers the citizenry to pay closer attention to what and especially whom
>> are being sacrificed for the sake of the situation.  The all volunteer
>> army, conceived  of in my kids lifetime  was during a time of relative
>> peace between our country and the world. I believe that the final 
>> tweaking
>> of the draft to the lottery system in '70 was the real beginning of the 
>> end
>> to the "Vietnam conflict".... no more deferments. I wonder if there is a
>> list somewhere of the deferments available from the '50s  through the 
>> roll
>> out of the lottery system? I know that parenthood, college enrollment and
>> certain jobs like teaching and going into the ministry (that's a whole
>> 'nother story when I look at many clergy of all denominations who may 
>> have
>> taken that route... interesting reflection on 'vocation', call, and
>> safety)  were all deferred well into the '60s.  WE don't see nearly as 
>> many
>> men teaching in primary or secondary education as we did when I was 
>> growing
>> up.
>>
>> This war has seen so much personal devastation in the middle east to
>> lives, to geography and to city structures, it is inconceivable that it
>> will be made right any time soon.  And then there are our returning
>> servicemen, mostly such a low profile but so much that is mostly known 
>> only
>> to friends and family of the vets - so much debilitating physical and
>> mental impairment and now, more publicized the suicide rate... coupled 
>> with
>> what seems like the worst care and management of the VA in my lifetime. 
>> I
>> have friends who were career men in Navy and Army. To hear what is
>> happening to retirees and their benefits both medical and financial 
>> defies
>> reason.   Ok... rant mode off. Sad just thinking about all of this.
>>
>> Lynn
>>
>> website: www.ichthysdesigns.com
>>
>> When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have 
>> not
>> a single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave 
>> me."
>> attributed to Erma Bombeck
>> "Either Freedom for all or stop talking about Freedom at all" from a talk
>> by Richard Rohr
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Christopher Hart" <cervus51 at gmail.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2016 6:44 AM
>> To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Magdalen] Everett @ the DMV.
>>
>> Government sponsored sex discrimination. I know we don't actually have a
>>> draft, and haven't for forty years, but if men and women are equally
>>> eligible to serve in the military why are only men required to register
>>> for
>>> the selective service? Probably because the idea of drafting women is
>>> anathema to most Americans, but it's still discriminatory.
>>>
>>> On Tue, May 10, 2016 at 7:02 AM, Eleanor Braun <eleanor.braun at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> https://www.sss.gov/Home/registration
>>>>
>>>> Eleanor
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, May 10, 2016 at 12:36 AM, M J _Mike_ Logsdon 
>>>> <mjl at ix.netcom.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Selective Service:  I'll ask his teacher.  You'd think it would have 
>>>> >  >
>>>> been
>>>> > mentioned by now.  Is Selective Service still a Thing?
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Christopher Hart
>>>
>>> List Mail Address: cervus51 at gmail.com
>>> Personal Mail: cervus at veritasliberat.net
>>> Twitter: @cervus51
>>>
>>
>>
> 