During the six day Egypt-Arab-Israeli war, I gave serious thought to joining the Israeli defense forces. They had said they would take people from other countries that were past normal military age. I once had a super-secret clearance in the Air Force, but by the time I had made a few phone calls about my security clearances, the entire war was over and the trail of destroyed Russian tanks stretched from the Israeli border through Gaza and on to the Suez Canal. Obviously, I wasn’t needed.
The premise was rather simple: There has not been an Israeli war where their forces were not out-numbered 10-1, 15-1, 20-1, etc. The thinking was, at the time, ex-military men who know how to take orders, could drive a truck or jeep, stand guard duty and fill a lot of positions that would free up young Israeli soldiers, and add themselves to the fighting force.
Jerry White, ex-Air Force and retiree from Eli Lilly, is one of my neighbors. A couple of times a week we have long chats when he is out tending to his lawn. Jerry had received an e-mail from someone named Joyce Smiley. Smiley (I don’t know if this is a man or woman) included a picture of a man over age 60 and certainly looks overweight and out of shape. The e-mail is long and is about sending old guys off to war rather than 18-year-olds. I took it to be humorous, but it makes a lot of sense. Standing there talking, Jerry White said, “You and I have done what we have wanted to do, we’ve raised our families, are veterans, and we’re a whole lot closer to the end rather than the beginning. If you and I were killed, they would not be killing a future Nobel Prize winner, a physicist, or a Ph.D. in philosophy. And when a young man gets killed, his entire future was ahead of him, while most of our lives are behind us.”
While the image of a group of 50, 60, or 70-year olds trudging along an Afghanistan trail may seem a little ridiculous, in reality it is not. If we keep playing policemen to the world it is going to extinguish those young men from our demographic pool. The old-timers described earlier, are capable of driving various vehicles, and could help carry wounded to helicopters. We could stand guard some place. You could call us the “Senior Service.” And my thought is, we serve six months at a time. When I suggested this to a woman I know, she said, “It sounds great, Ronn, but who’s going to remind you to take your medicine?”
Obviously, I haven’t given this an enormous amount of thought, but someone who has served his military time and is rather bored with retirement just might fill a need. I would imagine, if we were fed and clothed, you wouldn’t have to pay us as much as you would an 18-year-old. With few exceptions, we’re a whole bunch smarter than most of these recruits.
I never did shoot in anger, or get shot at. But think about this … my neighbor, Jerry, is absolutely correct … we could do a lot of good for the country and let somebody else worry about the lawn.
Tell Uncle Sam I have a pair of Air Force brogans I was issued in August of 1956. I’ve only re-soled them one time. I think they still have some wear left in them. So does Jerry White, and so does Ronn Mott.
Ronn Mott, a longtime radio personality in Terre Haute, writes commentaries for the Tribune-Star. His pieces are published online Tuesday and Thursday on Tribstar.com, and in the print and online editions on Saturday.
Opinion
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RONN MOTT: Senior Guard
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The celebration season
Spring has been a bit elusive at times in 2013, which is its nature.
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RONN MOTT: Frustration
For those who know me well, they can say without contradiction I am not a patient man. But in this hustle and bustle world I’ve been a part of all my adult life, I’ve had to learn a little patience. On occasion, however, I find some experiences extremely frustrating.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: MVC tourney an event worth having
It’s been a long time since the Missouri Valley Conference chose Indiana State University to host its post-season baseball tournament, but Terre Haute had never been more prepared for an event such as this.
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EDITORIAL: Cleaning up voter rolls
It’s not a lot of money in the big scheme of things, but the $2 million designated in the recent session of the General Assembly will begin the messy but necessary process of cleaning up Indiana’s voter registration rolls.
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READERS' FORUM: May 22, 2013
Rich history all along the river
Great work by Duke employees
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RONN MOTT: Rabid Republicans
The so-called news people at Fox News can hardly sit still long enough to report on the latest gossip or untruth about our sitting President. They can hardly contain themselves.
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READERS’ FORUM: May 21, 2013
• Great response to annual golf outing
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LIZ CIANCONE: Smell of fresh air gave way to dryers
Remember when clean clothes smelled like fresh air and sunshine rather than fabric softener and dryer sheets?
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READERS' FORUM: May 20, 2013
The dangers of a little knowledge
Students enjoyed Rose study trip
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Mark Bennett: High-profile mural connects historical dots from city to river
At 96 feet wide and 2 stories tall, the power, impact and value of the Wabash will be evident.
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EDITORIAL: Waging the ‘readiness’ campaign
Almost every Hoosier who starts college intends to finish. Unfortunately, those who arrive on campus unprepared in key academic areas are far less likely to fulfill that aspiration.
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READERS' FORUM: May 19, 2013
• Flawed reasoning on gun checks
• A hint of things yet to come?
• Are the ‘makers’ doing the ‘taking’?
• The ‘Obamination’ is finally revealed
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• Fantasizing on the ‘Apocalypse’
• Another view of Hinduism
• Great experience for HCMS students
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FLASHPOINT: A legislative session of missed opportunities
Given the nature of politicians, grand claims of accomplishments and overblown rhetoric about “historic” efforts are to be expected at the close of any legislative session.
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RONN MOTT: Mushrooms = Hoosier happiness
Someone wrote or said a few years ago a statement that would define the word “Hoosier.” According to this urban legend, a Hoosier is somebody dribbling a basketball around the Indy 500 while eating a fried, morel mushroom. It did not define me, at the time.
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EDITORIAL: Insult to an independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
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READERS' FORUM: May 17, 2013
Hinduism doesn’t deserve ridicule — Shefali Purohit, Terre Haute
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RONN MOTT: Israel’s Air Force
Recently the Israeli Air Force bombed and rocketed a convoy leaving Syria going to Lebanon with rockets that were going to be used to attack Israel. It did not get there. It was destroyed.
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EDITORIAL: Noteworthy in the news: Dashing finish for the Sycamores
It’s always thrilling to see Indiana State University’s athletic teams do well in high-level competition, and two specific teams rose to impressive heights last weekend in the Missouri Valley Conference outdoor track and field championships.
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Readers' Forum: May 16, 2013
Moving Deming folks sounds ‘nuts’
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Readers' Forum: May 15, 2013
Participants rise to the challenge: I would like to write a letter congratulating all the Wabash Valley Roadrunners that competed in the One America Indianapolis Mini Marathon.
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RONN MOTT: Media merry-go-round
Round and round it goes, where it stops nobody knows. That isn’t a unique phrase to this writer or to this era in time. But, when it comes to the musical chairs of broadcasting, it certainly applies.
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LIZ CIANCONE: Courts see a different appearance than cops
Have you ever noticed the transformation between the arrest of an accused lawbreaker and the first appearance in court?
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READERS' FORUM: May 14, 2013
ISTEP failure exposes flaws
Community hasn’t changed its spirit
Egregious threat to nation’s defense
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READERS' FORUM: May 13, 2013
• Women’s group criticizes Bucshon
• Let’s hope this doesn’t come true
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MARK BENNETT: Life at face value: Mom’s simple advice still presents a valuable daily challenge
Most moms don’t base their advice on scientific research.
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EDITORIAL: Better monitoring needed to prevent local environmental messes
The nasty, hazardous messes lurking in the community raise a bottom-line, red-flag question. Could these environmental problems have been monitored and, thus, prevented?
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GUEST COLUMN: Nursing more than medicine and bandages
Being a nurse … Like most nurses, I chose this profession because I had a strong desire to help others and no other career would allow me the opportunity to touch lives the way I have been able to through nursing.
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READERS' FORUM: May 12, 2013
Vigo Youth Football, entering 45th year, seeks new support
Media ignoring important case on abortions
Proud to be old-fashioned
Guns in school? What’s next?
Promoting hate not a ‘brave’ act
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FLASHPOINT: Again in 2013 General Assembly, middle class generally ignored
Last year, the people of Indiana entrusted the Republican Party with some of their most precious possessions.
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The celebration season
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