Being called to active duty....

As a german citizen, Thomas is on reserve with the german military until he turns 60. He came home today with a printout of an email that he received from them today....that he should immediately notify them of our new address/telephone number (we didn't bother to tell them that we had moved from Florida) and to be prepared to be contacted regarding being put into active-duty status immediately pending further notice.....this is all because of what has happened today...and I am just in shock about this....I don't consider myself to be a "military spouse"...and I certainly didn't expect at any time to be facing having Thomas forced to go overseas for the german military



We feel a bit anxious about this, but are hoping that this will be something that he won't have to do....because of the expense to the military of flying him home to germany.



Kris

Wow! That was fast, Kris. That is shocking! Since my fiance is part of the Air Force, we had the same conversation about the "possibility" of getting drafted...



- Rachel

[DCJenn]

Everyone, please relax...



There are active duty military physicians being activated. However, they are limited and very specific. There is no draft- it is highly unlikely and politically very unpopular to have a draft ever again. Remember, our spouses are considered part of the volunteer forces. This is something that is absolutely horrible, devastating- but this is what the military is prepared for. This is what they signed up for. Part of having a free med school education is the understanding that you may have to serve your country in times of duress. However, if your spouse is still in training- or not yet graduated from medical school, strictly from a monetary standpoint- they are not going to risk losing their investment- before they have the opportunity to pay back what they owe. Harsh but true. There are specific fields that will be more useful right now- obviously the burn specialists, the surgeons and ER docs and nurses are top priority.



Please have take a moment to remember those who are right in the middle of it- and they are for the most part civilians.



If there is a war, and anyone will tell you, the most peace loving group of people are the ones in the military- then let's pray it's quick, decisive with minimal loss. Right now, it is far too soon to think about activation. Also, the medical personnel at the front lines of any confrontation are medics- not docs. Having lived with a medic for a year after the Gulf- I can tell you that they are truly the unsung heroes of combat.



All of the bases and the post here have been placed on alert and all elective appointments have been cancelled. This is precautionary. There apparently aren't that many survivors to require additional medical support from outlying areas.



Kris- as for the German military- I'm sure they're contacting everyone. They'll need to know where everyone is- if just to offer their services as civilians. We have enough docs in Germany to supplement the the docs there, I'm sure. (remember Rhienmein and Frankfurt are HUGE hospitals that are fully staffed, plus all the small ones)



Ok- Hope this helps everyone stay calm. Hug your spouse and hang a flag tomorrow. Be proud of your military spouse and remember that they are soldiers first, doctors second. My thoughts are with everyone, especially those Pentagon families....



Jenn

Thanks, Jenn...



My husand contacted his friends in germany....both medical and non-medical and they all received the same notification, which did help us to relax....It does seem like they are just trying to locate everyone and prepare in a military sense....I don't feel nearly as panicked tonight as I did yesterday....



It is actually comforting in a way to know that other countries are prepared to rally and help....



Kris

I'm not so sure that other countries are thinking of rallying just yet. I think their first thought would be "is our country next".

Well, I actually never looked at it that way ...and I guess that is a mistake..especially now that I see all of the reports of buildings closed throughout the world.



I heard that bin Laden had made a threat 3 weeks ago to make an unparallelled attack on American targets...but that no one had thought that it would be in this country. With the anti-american sentiment in the middle east I made the assumption that this was something directed at us...and it certainly is an eye-opener to consider that other countries are feeling fearful for themselves as well.....



This is such an awful thing ..... it is just terrible.........



Kris

The German military has definitively said that it will join the US in its attacks...presumably on Afghanistan....my mother-in-law called me today in a panic suggesting that we come back to Europe to live with her if Thomas does indeed get called to come back......we think that is unlikely...yet it is frightening as a possibility........



Kris

[DCJenn]

All of our NATO allies have agreed to support an "Article 5" which basically states that an attack on one is an attack on all. This is critical for a few reasons. First, our allies have agreements with countries outside of NATO. this will help ensure flight patterns and landing areas if we should need to get to the Middle East.



In addition, Russia, although not a NATO ally, has also agreed to support the US in whatever way they can. Most of our Arab friends have agreed that we need to respond to this attack- although I'm sure for most of them it's more of a "Welcome to our world" sort of feeling.



This will also help with personnel and weaponry- in addition to supporting actual fighting.



I'm sure that those of you on the Air Force bases have noticed the F-16's. They are armed and ready to go.



OK, how do the docs fit in. They will be placed in mobile hospitals, on ships, and in countries near where we end up going. They will use the Reservists and National Guard medical units along with the Active duty docs. If this becomes a prolonged issue, those who aren't typically considered trauma docs can see action- pediatricians (look at the age of our soldiers) OB/gyns (surgery experience) and family practice (combined experience) so...



Also, what can happen is that the docs can be sent to replace docs that have been sent to the front. But again- they won't use the trainees for a VERY long time, if at all.



Anyway, more info for you guys. Please also take a moment to remember our Muslim Americans. They are in agony at the moment. I have several friends at home who are now fearing for their country (ours) and their lives because we do have some really ignorant people out there.



Later-



Jenn



Kris- Don't worry about Thomas getting sent back. They'll activate the locals first.

jenn -

when you said your muslim friends might be thinking "welcome to our world" - did you mean they are more accustomed to fighting?

i had this exact thought the other night when the news jumped on the firing in afghanistan - and then determined that this was "just a normal night" there! i was shocked. i felt so ignorant. i knew that there is fighting there but to imagine the innocent children there who must go to bed every night and hear this from their windows - it's awful.

thanks for all of your insight on the military! my husband told me that the chances were extremely low. i don't know if i would trust him to use his surgical skills on me yet! give him a couple more years!

please tell your muslim friends that they are in our prayers. hearing all of the stories about muslims being verbally, emotionally, and physically assaulted just makes this nightmare worse.

[Amiens]

My hubby, Matt, is with the Air National Guard, and because of Tuesday's tragedy he was placed on alert. They can't send him anywhere away from his residency, because he is still in "training." So that was comforting to know when he got the call and told me about it.



However, I do have a cousin on unaccompanied deployment for 6 wks in Iceland right now who flies KC135s (fuelers for fighters) for the USAF, so with this going on he might be sent to the Middle East or elsewhere. I am going to call his wife tonight and find out how she is holding up (she is expecting their 2nd child in May, and has a 2 1/2 yr. old) and he is stationed in Spokane, WA.

[DCJenn]

As I understand it- the reservists who have been activated are going to generally be used as support for the active duty soldiers. They are also using some medical personnel to replace the civialians who have been at "ground zero" since this nightmare began.



We have more than a million active duty personnel- and more than a million reservists. So, in the big scheme of things, 50,000 isn't that many. Not that there won't be a lot more activated really soon- but we can only take it one step at a time.



Those of you with active duty friends and family- let them know we're thinking of them.



Jenn

One of Thomas' best friends (who is on the same reserve status as Thomas) was just given his "marching orders"...he has two small children that are the same ages of our two oldest..... We are waiting to see what happens next....



Kris

[DCJenn]

Well, that completely blows. There's a lot of people here in SA who are being activated. This is going to be very bizarre. I remember during the Gulf War how surreal it all seemed. The summer I was in Grad school ('90) I got a phone call from a guy I had dated in college- "hey Jenn, I just got out of the war. Wanna go have lunch?" Wacked.



Oh well- we'll just have to takeit one day at a time.



Jenn

We have been feeling naively safe here because we thought that the German Military would be less likely to call up a reserve abroad. One of the nurses in Thomas' dept. is married to a german who received his marching orders TODAY! He must return to germany now...and he is being sent to IRAQ!!!! Thomas called me in a bit of a panic especially considering the renewed Anthrax scare that has been brought to life again in Orlando....he is convinced now that the call is imminent due to his specialty....I'm just sort of....not sure of what to think...



Kris

[DCJenn]

Kris- Don't panic! There's no way to predict when or if any of them will be called up. Are you sure it was Iraq? Does Germany have a presence there? There are some docs from here that have been sent to Turkey and I know there are British docs in Diego Garcia- they have a base there. Keep thinking positive thoughts and take it one day at a time. If Thomas keeps in touch with anyone from his specific unit back in Germany- now would be the time to contact them and see what they know.



I'm sending good thoughts your way!



Jenn