Recalling Bank Execs From Retirement? Not A Chance!
Mar 16 2012
I recently recalled that the Defense Business Board made a statement about the military retirement program:
“Immediate payout after 20 years has no comparison in the private sector.”
One can assume from this that they must believe that all other aspects of a military job have a direct comparison to the private sector.
Having written that, the reason I recalled the DBB’s statement is that my wife received a letter from the Department of the Air Force regarding her “annual Air Force Reserve Screening.” In this letter, there was an interesting item in respect to her military career:
“As a Retired Active Duty member, you are subject to recall to active duty for national emergencies, contingencies, and brief periods to assessed your continued mobilization availability.”
This letter is what makes me think that the reformers of our military pension system have no idea what a military job entails, including the fact that in retirement there is the requirement to be mobilization ready and be prepared to be brought out of retirement.
Can you picture a bank executive getting recalled from retirement: “Mr. Smith, we’re having a few problems in accounting and you will be required to perform emergency auditing duties deployed to the Dubuque office. Please report to company headquarters in 24 hours where you will be issued your calculator, uniform pocket pen protector, and brown wing-tips with matching suit and tie (we assume you’ve maintained your size 40 frame).”
Now, I am not complaining that my retired Air Force officer wife has this requirement. That was part of the deal in the trade off between her agreeing to serve and the benefits promised. Along with items such as: annual physical requirements; being moved every 2 – 4 years; possible deployment to wherever the government wants her; get promoted or get kicked out; advanced degree requirements; military education requirements; etc.
In return, she stuck it out past 20 years – that whole carrot and stick thing. But, the warnings from MOAA about the proposed reforms still hold – if the government changes the retirement system the way the Defense Business Board proposes, it will greatly harm the military’s ability to recruit and retain members. The carrot of retirement pay for 20 years of service would be gone – most members would take that first civilian job that pays better and doesn’t ask so much professionally and personally (such as having to move school-age kids multiple times).
The issue has taken a back burner due to the proposed TRICARE hikes, so maybe it will just remain there.


