back door draft
n.— «One individual advised that he is being involuntarily recalled for placement in the Army Reserve, despite having been out of the Army for over two years. Apparently the referenced action is being taken because of the Army’s ongoing manning problems. I’m aware of the continuing liability for recall after separation, but among some of my correspondents the news that this “back door draft” is actually occurring was understandably greeted with surprise and concern.» —“Re: Recalls Occurring; Seeking More Info” by Lee Knoper Usenet: alt.military Apr. 5, 1999. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Twice a day the River Thames recedes, revealing a muddy shoreline. Hobbyists known as mudlarks stroll the surface searching for objects that have found their way into the river over the centuries, everything from ancient Roman jewelry to modern...
What if, instead of being an inanimate object, a dictionary were alive? That’s the idea behind a lavishly illustrated new children’s book called The Dictionary Story (Bookshop|Amazon) by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston. This is part of a...