-=> RICHARD WEBB wrote to BOB BREED <=-   
      
    RW> Hi again Bob,   
      
    RW> On Tue 2012-Feb-28 09:38, BOB BREED (1:123/140) wrote to RICHARD WEBB:   
      
    RW>    
      
      
    BB> I can't buy the plan as long as it has a 'buy out' clause.  (But   
    BB> maybe I'm not thinking what you mean by that - to me it was what   
    BB> happened in VN, the rich got into all kinds of deferments, college -   
    BB> and gawd knows what else.)  However I can buy the truly disabled   
    BB> being exempt - a point you don't. :)   
      
    RW> YEp, no buyouts, you serve, no matter who you are, no matter the   
    RW> station of your parents, rich or poor, disabled or not.   
    RW> YOu will serve. But then there's ...   
      
    BB> And we're both ignoring the fact that the military is cutting back -   
    BB> even to the point of losing key people - people who are very good at   
    BB> their job but can't advance so it's up or out.   
      
    RW> Yep, that's a real consideration.  The peacetime military   
    RW> still has a role though, the boots on the ground for foreign aid   
    RW> projects where we have to provide training and support,   
    RW> as well as delivering the goods we provide as part of that   
    RW> foreign aid.  Imho military service teaches some valuable   
    RW> skills, whether you end up a mechanic, a communications   
    RW> person, etc.  It's just a smarter way to go imho.  Every   
    RW> citizen to get the rights of citizen at age 18 or graduation from hs   
    RW> will show up and do his/her hitch.  I first read   
    RW> that about a decade ago and I've really liked the idea every since.   
    RW> The skills you learn help your neighborhood survive   
    RW> a disaster, make your neighborhood safer, etc.   
      
   This plan almost came into being when I graduated HS back in 1948.  Not only   
   was registering for the draft mandatory, but there was real thought about   
   military service right after HS for the males.  (I had a decent job, making   
   good money for the times, but really sweated having to give that up and go into   
   the military.)   
      
   Which brings up another point:  how about those kids in that same boat, a good   
   job, helping support his family.  Not all that many at the HS level, but they   
   do exist and losing a paycheck to do military could really hurt those families.   
      
       
      
   ...   
      
    BB> Not likely, but now and again I fire up my Kenwood and search the   
    BB> ham bands.  Man, what the heck is it with all these new calls? When   
    BB> did these C6xxx guys come into play?  Us old timers still recall   
    BB> when the newbies had K6, and that was like being branded.  :)   
      
    RW> Eh?  c6 is the Bahamas iirc.  Still valid is A k n or w for   
    RW> U.S. call signs.  I bought this call cause I didn't want one of the a   
    RW> series 2 by 2 extra calls, but I wanted to lose my   
    RW> 2 x 3 0 land call sign for something that was more rhythmic   
    RW> with the code and easier phonetically since I run a lot of   
    RW> phone nets, so I bought nf5b under the vanity program.   
    RW> Gotta renew it later this year.   
      
   Really?  He was sure pouring in here, would have swore he was in CA.  :) (C6AKQ   
   was the call.)    
      
    BB> Talk about being out of touch.  :)   
      
    RW> YEah it's a different world these days.  When I heard an   
    RW> extra class the other day asking how to figure the length of a dipole,   
    RW> and another saying he didn't know how to tune up   
    RW> his new tube type linear amplifier I was rolling on the   
    RW> floor making strange noises.   
      
      
    Oh, we've always had those guys around.  :)   Ops, but no technical knowlege   
   at all. :)   
      
      
      
      
      
      
       
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