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Bugs100

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War Vet, 50, Stunned By New Deployment

Former Soldier Last Served During 1st Gulf War

Reported by Jeremy Finley



The last time Paul Bandel, 50, saw combat was in the early 1990s during the Gulf War.

"(I was) kind of shocked, not understanding what I was getting into," said Bandel, who lives in the Nashville, Tenn., area.

In 1993, Bandel took the option of leaving the Army without retirement and never thought he would be called back to action.

"Here he's 50 years old, getting his AARP card, and here he's being redeployed with all these 18-year-olds," said Paul's wife, Linda Bandel.

"I can understand, say, 'Here, we have this assignment for you stateside. Go do your training,'" said Paul Bandel. "But, 'Hey, here's a gun, go back to the desert.'"

Involuntary recall allows the military, regardless of age or how long someone has been out of service, to order vets back into active duty.

"Anger's not the word. I was more concerned about the financial impact it's going to do. My pay's probably cut in half," said Paul Bandel.

"Right now, I'm just in disbelief because it's like the disbelief that this could be happening 15 years after being out of the military. It's like a dream or a nightmare," said Linda Bandel.

The veteran is dusting off his old uniforms and torn between his duty to his country and obligations as a grandfather.

"I certainly never thought I'd be going back there at this point in my life," said Paul Bandel.

The last missile system the veteran was trained to operate is no longer used by the military.

Calls to the Army and the Pentagon about how many men and women in their 50s are being called back to duty were not returned Wednesday.

Paul Bandel will be deployed overseas until 2010. His wife plans to move in with her elderly parents until his return.

-------------------------
posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
 
He is not the only one. I read about a 60 yro grandmother getting recalled 6 or so months back. She was in good shape though, impressively so, and was all for it.
 
Wow. I was told when I out processed at Dix that that could happen.[laugh] That was early 80's. My response was they'd have to find me.[laugh] Guessing it depends on how critical an MOS is.[thinking] Always said they should let some of us old farts back in.
 
Jeff, Pat? care to chime in on this one? What was the good Col's name,Hopper?

We used to escort a full bird from PRT around baghdad, he had been a EM in Vietnam, yes Vietnam. He was what ? sixty something?

sitting, fat and retired in Florida, wife asked if he was gonna open the mail form the army he says no.....couple days later, like any other wife, she opens the mail herself, and informs the good COL that hes supposed to report to Benning in 3 days.

He had a MAC-V combat patch on his ACUs and was charged with pretty much setting up and running the PRT program for the country, from scratch.

Suicide 7 and PatP can clean this up, as I believe the moved him more than me (I know not more than Muggs)

You guys ever get those steak knives?
 
When the war first started, I sent my old unit a letter [ at the 101st Airborne] and told them I would go back gladly. I gave them a list of things I needed and if they could that I would be happy.

1. All new uniforms because my old ones miust of shrunk and while they were getting them ready I wanted e-8 stripes and all my old patches put on them..

2. A little red wagon that I could fill with, cigars, Irish Whiskey, ammo and all my pills also I needed a native to pull it because my knees hurt all the time.

3. A nap every day for at least 2 hours.

4. A map with the locations of every toliet and Bar in the country.

5. I would bring all my own guns because I liked mine better and all they had to do was supply ammo.

6. If they needed more old guys. I had a bunch of guys at the VFW bar that would love to get away from their wives.

I got a letter back saying that they would keep me in mind and thanks for the offer and they posted it on the bulletin board. They also sent me a T-Shirt.

I'm still waiting, I guess they must be saving me, like a secret weapon.
 
[rofl2][laugh][rofl]

Bugs100 said:
When the war first started, I sent my old unit a letter [ at the 101st Airborne] and told them I would go back gladly. I gave them a list of things I needed and if they could that I would be happy.

1. All new uniforms because my old ones miust of shrunk and while they were getting them ready I wanted e-8 stripes and all my old patches put on them..

2. A little red wagon that I could fill with, cigars, Irish Whiskey, ammo and all my pills also I needed a native to pull it because my knees hurt all the time.

3. A nap every day for at least 2 hours.

4. A map with the locations of every toliet and Bar in the country.

5. I would bring all my own guns because I liked mine better and all they had to do was supply ammo.

6. If they needed more old guys. I had a bunch of guys at the VFW bar that would love to get away from their wives.

I got a letter back saying that they would keep me in mind and thanks for the offer and they posted it on the bulletin board. They also sent me a T-Shirt.

I'm still waiting, I guess they must be saving me, like a secret weapon.
Click to expand...
 
I have a friend who wanted to go to Iraq when his unit was shipped over (he was CSM of his unit) but the Army wouldn't deploy him - IIRC, he was a bit over 50, had a stent and bad knees... They retired him instead. Still didn't stop him from feeling bad that his "kids" were going in harm's way without him.
 
Col. Hopper was awesome!!! I think we moved him the most. He must have written 4-5 letters of appreciation to our commander about us. He was in his late 60's I believe. We needed one more trip to the Baghdad Provincial Counsel for the steak knives (I think we had 19).... I heard they built a monument out front for Raven 28 though.
 
no no no no, the 2-8 monument was easy to find.....through the main foyer, head to the 11 oclock, through the doors and down the hallway, it was directly on your left as you entered the hall

heres a picture

crapper.jpg
 

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