From junior companion to squad leader. From 6 a.m. scripture study to 6 a.m. reveille. From a demanding zone leader to an even more demanding sergeant.
Talk about a transfer to a new area. Welcome to active duty, Elders. Your National Guard units have been called up. Have a safe trip.
This happened in the Gulf War I as well, didn’t it? I seem to recall a few people getting called up like that. Perhaps I’m not remembering things straight though.
Yes, Elder Moroni, you too can now live up to the proud theological heritage of the Plan of Salvation. Once you fought in the War in HEaven; now you get to fight in a mortal war to ensure that _all_ of Father’s children can exercise their agency. And if your journey is through…all is well, all is well.
God bless.
Lyle, when’s your time?
The comments linked to the article in the Herald are also quite telling.
Catherine: I can’t tell if your are leaking sarcasm; or what the point of your comment was. However, I agree..the comments in the news are fairly strong…and so very ignorant at worst, uninformed at best.
I AM IN THE NATIONAL GUARD (enlisted in Utah, currently in NJ).
The intial term of enlistment is 6 years + 2 in the Inactive Ready Reserve (IRR). While in the IRR, you are on a list. You do _NOT_ drill nor receive pay. You are just on the list _in case_ the country needs you & they know you are trained.
LDS missionaries who join the National Guard before going on a mission are put into the IRR while they are serving missions; hence they are not “getting out” of service. Because there are so many LDS in Utah, the Utah Army National Guard (a state entity) has a set policy allowing the 2 year religious service to be the IRR service. Other states also allow this. There is _NO_ favoritism in this. Grow up folks.
The U.S. rarely uses the IRR. They have just decided to. Hence, _some_ LDS missionaries are being called up.
Adam: No news. I wasn’t chosen to deploy with the rest of my unit because I do not have a security clearance as of yet; nor am I MOS (that is skill training, i.e. for me…radio operator) qualified yet either. Hence…they are still deciding whther to rush my training & send me, or re-assign me to another unit & stay state-side to do homeland security assignments.
Lyle: Are you saying the Plan of Salvation includes Wars of Liberation?
Bob: Yup. Def. You don’t? Seems like a fairly non-controversial assumption to me. Unless the American Revolutionary War _was not_ part of the Plan of Salvation…Restoration of the Gospel?
Regardless: I presented the facts of the 2 year IRR service that serve to rebut the cluelessness of too many non-military folks & their eagerness to put those they disagree with under the rhetorical knife…
Lyle: I do disagree, but I do not seek a fight. I hope your second line was not directed at me. In 1966, I served a mission as IRR (USMCR).
No Bob…the 2nd line was def. not directed at you. As a marine, you are a real soldier…not a national guard puke like me :)
Sorry for the lack of specifics. It was more directed at Kaimi’s implicit criticism & Catherine’s explicit endorsement of the implicit criticism in the comments (unless she cares to correct me and/or her comment).
Lyle – There are at least three perspectives represented in the comments…which did you assume I was endorsing? My comment was merely to draw attention to the comments which, I feel, tell as interesting a story as the actual article.