[lookout123]

the theory is that someone who serves even one enlistment is entitled to a variety of life long benefits. during the drawdown and through the late '90's it began to make sense that if we can only have X number of troops rather than 2X then we better make them count. they need to be warriors or direct support for a trigger puller. accountants, HR, kitchen help, postal workers, communications, etc. don't have to be warrior trained in most cases - make 'em civvies. they get a larger annual pay package, but fewer benefits. as an added bonus, you have greater continuity on an installation because your civvies aren't PCSing every 2/3 years.