Time Enough For ?

Via Tom Ricks, the Navy is establishing a program for career intermissions for both their enlisted and officer ranks, allowing people to take time off with full medical benefits and 1/15th their normal pay, and then to return to the force where they left off.

 I always thought this sort of thing made sense; after all, one of the huge strengths of the officer corps has been educating the force, not only through service academies and staff colleges, but think tank fellowships, Fulbright/Marshall/Rhodes grants, etc. And, well, one of the themes that I've always seen as a civilian about the armed forces is the extent to which it helps people get their lives in order and help them figure out what to do in life; letting them explore some sort of educative experience, or spend time at home with their newborn kid, seems like a great way to not only build the human capital necessary to having a superior force, but also to keep those people around and let them live well-integrated lives. 

If this experiment works well, I bet that in 50 years it'll be commonplace. If it goes badly, well, then expect us to have more trouble with filling the career service ranks.