Last September, I told you about my friend, Army Master Sgt. Mike Preston, and his fight against the Army’s ridiculous electronic retirement system. He sounded relieved when he was finally retired and free.

But recently, the military bureaucracy struck back. Preston and his wife needed retired-status military ID cards for accessing bases for shopping or healthcare. They couldn’t obtain these ID cards while still on base because, after separation, Preston was still using up his accumulated leave days and therefore, technically, still on active duty.