That last sentence is true, at least in 1974 it was. I was paid a bonus of $2500. to work as a demo specialist at Fort Bragg for at least 36 months. However, when I finished my training I was sent to Wildflecken, Germany for 37 months instead. As a soldier you are piece of the larger puzzle and most likely Reagan was no exception.

LIEberal version:
"Don't hate the hater, hate the hate."

ghostsniper version:
"Gut the hater and the hate disappears."

Career officers, as I was, could have consultations about their assignments, but not negotiations. There's a difference.

Sensing nailed it. You can volunteer for what you want as often as you want, and sometimes get it, but don't try to wriggle out of one you don't want. Even hardship cases mark you for life. Resign if you can't handle the military way. ('53-'75)

Oh look! A man president.

Those were the days.

Straighten that cover, Lieutenant! Think you're a movie star or something, soldier?

It says too much about a society that has an Army that refuses to accept 4 out of 5 applicants because they cannot meet the standards.
It's not the Army's problem. It is Society's problem.

Present IQ minimum is 92. The personal histories that will rule a candidate out are also highly related to that number.

The last cavalry charge of the U.S. Army occured during the Battle of Bataan, on January 16, 1942. 1st Lieutenant Edwin Ramsey led the attack by elements of the 26th Mounted Cavalry Regiment. The charge was successful. Later, Ramsey refused to surrender and eventually trained and led a Philippines resistance army of 40,000 men. He was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star and Purple Heart and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

He died on March 7, 2013.

http://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/leader-of-last-wwii-u-s-cavalry-charge-dies-he-was-hunted-down-by-the-imperial-japanese-army.html

My vote's on vindictiveness.

Ronnie bought us 30 years. The Left will never forgive him.

The Wednesday after Pearl Harbor (Dad wasn't dumb enough to go to the recruiters on Monday) my 35 year old father with a trick knee, flat feet, and 20-400 vision in his left eye hit the Marines, rejected, the Navy, rejected, and the Army, rejected. So he joined the Texas National Guard. I'm so proud of his service I could bust. And if you weren't there STFU. You have no idea about our sacrifices. Even mine, Everything was rationed, we raised our own vegetables (I got to shell the peas) and a whole bunch of other stuff.

You can watch RR's famous and highly relevant campaign speech for Goldwater. It's 30 minutes and inspiring.

http://youtu.be/qXBswFfh6AY

Not only do we need leaders like Reagan, we need citizens like the ones that elected Reagan. Remember George Will and Charles Krauthammer opposed Reagan. Washington Post columnist, Jennifer Rubin was busy working as a lawyer for the Hollywood entertainment industry and opposed Reagan. Don't let the people that missed the real Reagan steer you into their prescription to fix this country.

Here's a funny joke about Democrats told by Reagan.

http://youtu.be/QK3Eo9cScEQ

This is a somewhat serious question, and not meant to be snarky. How would Reagan have done without the Iron Lady of the West to support him?

BTW, Amanda Thatcher is a natural-born US citizen and will be old enough in 2028. There is hope...

Well, the honest truth of the matter was that Ron Reagan was acceptable for a reserve Calvary company, but without his eyeglasses (or contact lenses which he wore most of the time) he was legally blind.
So while he asked for overseas duty in a combat zone, he wasn't going to get it. If he would not have been in the Army in December 1941 and would have tried to enlist, he would have been classified as 4F as f1guyus described Dad.