# Army asking for voluntary recall of retirees. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [March 27, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451 "2020-03-27T20:09:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/1 "2020-03-27T20:09:25Z")
I didn’t see this posted anywhere. A few days ago the US Army sent out message to retirees asking for a voluntary recall. As of now they are asking specifically for those who were in healthcare related fields. I don’t think they will need me to blow up the virus so I guess I’m out. > **[Army Asks Retired Soldiers in Health Care Fields to Come Back for COVID-19 Fight](https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/03/25/army-asks-retired-soldiers-health-care-fields-come-back-covid-19-fight.html)** > > The Army has a message for its retirees: Uncle Sam wants you to help fight the novel coronavirus. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/2 "2020-03-27T20:31:28Z")
I saw that, it makes sense. States are doing the same, asking retirees, students and really anyone with medical skills to help out. I know NJ & NY both asked for help. Gov. Murphy asked for Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics, Corpsman & Medics. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/3 "2020-03-27T20:38:32Z")
The specialties they sent this to are below. I imagine many of these retirees are working at civilian hospitals in the same roles. So calling them to the military takes them away from where they are needed. And if they’ve reached the usual civilian retirement age of 65 or so, they’re in a high-risk group themselves. 60F: Critical Care Officer 60N: Anesthesiologist 66F: Nurse Anesthetist 66S: Critical Care Nurse 66P: Nurse Practitioner 66T: ER Nurse 68V: Respiratory Specialist 68W: Medic ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/4 "2020-03-27T20:40:52Z")
I guess they don’t want me. Piano Player (MOS 02N20) isn’t on the hot list. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/5 "2020-03-27T20:44:52Z")
Zombies are coming. Remember to double tap. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/6 "2020-03-27T20:48:59Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > I guess they don’t want me. Piano Player (MOS 02N20) isn’t on the hot list. They don’t want artists either. I guess I could draw blood. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/7 "2020-03-27T21:31:26Z")
Maybe they should call up Veterinarians in addition to Vets. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/8 "2020-03-27T21:34:28Z")
I was a power generator mechanic. I’m bracing myself. I’m assuming that if they have need for my MOS, there are enough active people to cover, but you never know. I’m talking about powering all the ad hoc hospital places that are being set up. The hotels and such may not be set up to power hospital equipment, and may need generators. The field hospitals need generators too. I actually have training as a Home Health Aide, the very lowest rung of “trained” health care. I can take blood pressure, give injections, read orders, and make a bed with a patient in it, but that’s pretty much all I can do that an untrained person can’t, and I haven’t done it since the 1990s-- and even then, it was just something I was trained to do, not something I did regularly. I was a social worker who helped disabled people get set up in community living situations, and since some of them needed this kind of care, I had to know how to do it, so I could train staff to do it. I’m also waiting for them to call for “anyone with any medical training or experience whatsoever, including candy-stripers (which I also was).” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/9 "2020-03-27T21:35:52Z")
It may come to that. This is a very scary time. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/10 "2020-03-27T21:40:52Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > They don’t want artists either. I guess I could draw blood. That sounds pretty sketchy. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/11 "2020-03-28T04:18:47Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > The specialties they sent this to are below. I imagine many of these retirees are working at civilian hospitals in the same roles. So calling them to the military takes them away from where they are needed. And if they’ve reached the usual civilian retirement age of 65 or so, they’re in a high-risk group themselves. > > 60F: Critical Care Officer > 60N: Anesthesiologist > 66F: Nurse Anesthetist > 66S: Critical Care Nurse > 66P: Nurse Practitioner > 66T: ER Nurse > 68V: Respiratory Specialist > 68W: Medic Part of the information they are asking for is in what capacity they are working in the civilian sector. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/army-asking-for-voluntary-recall-of-retirees/850451/12 "2020-03-28T06:16:59Z")
mrAru mentioned that the Navy was apparently also considering a recall of some sort. We joke, but it is not too far off that if he had to describe himself, it would be that snarky old machinists mate from Up Periscope … he trained back in the early 80s on some of the _old_ stuff … in his twilight tour he was able to tell his newest babies that he had boot camp issue uniforms older than they were, and he was right. I have a pic of him from about 5 years ago wearing his boot camp issue dress blues =) [curse him they still fit]