When I was 40, I tried to reenlist in the military. Over a decade and change after I got out.
The recruitment office, the same one I went into when I was just a kid was far less excited this time around.
When I turned 18, recruiters raced to my house. They called me twice a day and my folks twice more. They reassured of me of everything the military could offer me. And I finally enlisted. In retrospect, they were right. It was the best period of my life.
This time, I waited over an hour and a half to speak to someone. They explained to me the challenge that prior service personnel faced to getting back in. It didn’t matter that I was still in good shape and even hungrier this time around. It would take a round of waivers and a prayer for me to be considered.
In not so many words they were telling me “Please don’t make us waste the time and paper for something that’s not going to work”.
And I got the message.
Which is why it hurts to read articles about how military recruiters aren’t hitting their numbers. It shouldn’t be that way.
The military should be much more forgiving to prior service. I can only imagine how many lives could have gotten back on the right track if the opportunities were provided to them.
Many of us were specific parts to a single machine and can’t work anywhere else.
And now we’re all losing. Many veterans like myself face an uncertain future.
It’s painful when veterans hear they can’t be soldiers anymore. Because we don’t know how to be anything else.
And the opportunity we would give anything to have again goes unchallenged.
Friends. Times are very tough right now. If you can help the blog, please do below. If you’ve got any questions, please write me directly at Torres.fjr@gmail.com
Next: Read about how veterans dream about their prior service here
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