OT – Finally, the end of the Iraq War.

[admin]

Good news.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20123800-503544/obama-announces-end-of-iraq-war-troops-to-return-home-by-year-end/%27%20rel=%27nofollow

[bearishgurl]

Yes, brian, that IS good news. I wonder if this means an eventual shrinkage of active-duty military members (in all branches of service).

For all the returning able-bodied service-members who have either been discharged or will be soon and possibly not re-enlist (or not be able to), they are coming home to a “jobless recovery” after receiving a plethora of monetary and practical benefits for their families for years, which most will no longer be eligible for.

I have no doubt many of them will enroll in college with military assistance (further exacerbating CA’s hugely impacted public university programs). That’s what happened when troops en masse were sent home from Vietnam.

Their families’ lack of a steady income (due to discharge and inability to reenlist) could impact the dwindling coffers of state public assistance programs.

It’s all good, though. They SHOULD be sent home. I’m just afraid most of their young families “grew” during wartime relative to their growing salaries and benefits.

[briansd1]

The war/security economy was another part of the “fake” prosperity of the first decade of the 21st century.

I heard that 1 million veterans will be looking for jobs in the private sector in the next 5 years due the shrinking military apparatus.

Maybe they can join the Occupy Wall Street movement.

[briansd1]

Interesting Pew Research results:

http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2011/10/05/war-and-sacrifice-in-the-post-911-era/3/#chapter-2-attitudes-of-post-911-veterans?src=prc-headline

[img_assist|nid=15478|title=Pew results|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=290|height=431]

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2011/10/06/war-economy-growing-number-of-vets-view-iraqafghanistan-as-mistakes/

[Ricechex]

[quote=bearishgurl]Yes, brian, that IS good news. I wonder if this means an eventual shrinkage of active-duty military members (in all branches of service).

For all the returning able-bodied service-members who have either been discharged or will be soon and possibly not re-enlist (or not be able to), they are coming home to a “jobless recovery” after receiving a plethora of monetary and practical benefits for their families for years, which most will no longer be eligible for.

I have no doubt many of them will enroll in college with military assistance (further exacerbating CA’s hugely impacted public university programs). That’s what happened when troops en masse were sent home from Vietnam.

Their families’ lack of a steady income (due to discharge and inability to reenlist) could impact the dwindling coffers of state public assistance programs.

It’s all good, though. They SHOULD be sent home. I’m just afraid most of their young families “grew” during wartime relative to their growing salaries and benefits.[/quote]

This is absolutely true. For the past 2 years the Navy has been doing something called PTS. (can’t remember what it stands for) Anyway, what they are doing is downsizing and a lot of sailors are getting the boot–even active duty with 10 years in! Most of them are using unemployment and their GI bill to go to college. The GI bill pays big, even covers living expenses if they aren’t excessive. I am happy we are getting out of there, but I won’t believe it till I see it.

[Author]

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