"He's not had a job in 6 months," the soldier said, just off the phone with one of his ex-soldiers. The guy calls him now and then, considers him a father figure and someone who saved his life. 

The guy was a "hoodlum".  He was a street thief and wound up in the soldier's command. The soldier told him he would kill him with his bare hands if he ever stole anything again... he eventually encouraged him to get out of the the Army when his time was up - go to school.

The guy took the advice and wound up becoming very successful.

 "No work? Are they in trouble?" I asked. He has a wife and 3 kids.

"They're living off savings. He had money put away but yeah he's had no work for 6 months. He's an engineer, P.  We don't need engineers, we don't make anything anymore." He sighed. "If you're not going to produce anything, you're not going to need an engineer."

:(

Sorry about his friend.

yeah,it looks like they are going to move. They have a big spread, lots of toys, dirt bikes, ATV's, trails to ride them on... he's just been fantastically successful, and a good solid man / father and now???

"Improvise, adapt and overcome."

It sucks when you "play by the rules" and stuff like that happens.