I've heard a number of reactions from Boomers to the Ken Burns-Lynn Novick film, "The Vietnam War," currently playing on PBS television stations. Some folks are watching it with a sense of deja vu. Others feel uncomfortable investing the time in a documentary that revisits a painful chapter of their lives.

As a piece of film-making, "The Vietnam War" is monumental -- 10 episodes, 18 hours. It took over 10 years to complete. I for one find it quite compelling, less so because of the inevitable violence and gore of war. Some scenes leave me sickened and, I admit, make me hesitant to continue viewing additional episodes. Still, I find the behind-the-scenes story of the war fascinating, as told via previously private presidential tapes, excerpts from hearings, and reporting on the growing war resistance movement. Perhaps most of all, the personal interviews woven throughout the film (including rare commentary from North Vietnamese soldiers), along with the vignettes of those who participated in the war, have a lasting impact. The story of "Mogie" (Denton) Crocker, for example, a young patriot who, despite being underage, joins the Marines and eventually gets killed, dramatizes the very personal and devastating effect of the war on American families.

The Vietnam war was the war of the Boomer generation. It was also the first war that invaded our living rooms on a nightly basis. Whether you were for it or against it, whether you served in the armed forces or were a committed protestor, the war remains inextricably linked to our lives as Boomers. For many of us, the war upended our lives when we were the most vulnerable. For some of us, it ended our lives prematurely.

Yes, "The Vietnam War" is a film that may cause a considerable amount of discomfort as you relive it on television. But it is an important moment in history we cannot and should not forget. It has an eerie relevance to the war in Afghanistan, and also to the lack of faith we continue to have in the leaders of government. When one looks around our world today, there seem to be plenty of Vietnam-like conflicts that remain. As Edmund Burke said, "Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it."

Retirement expert Kerry Hannon writes frequently about working past the traditional retirement age. She recently told MarketWatch that, when it comes to switching jobs in your 50s or 60s, "The truth of the matter is a lot of what you can do is redeploying skills you have." She suggests promoting skills you already have on a resume and says for older job switchers, it's about "being resilient and being flexible."

I think the concept of "redeployment" is a solid way to view the all-too-common dilemma of seeking new employment. If you're a Boomer who has lost a job you had for many years, or you're simply burned out and want a new opportunity, you will likely be faced with age discrimination. While you cannot overcome this basic bias completely, you can represent yourself and your skills in the best possible light. Marketing what you really have going for you can make a big difference.

It pays to ask yourself some serious questions about your competency in various areas and make sure your expertise in these areas is emphasized on your resume, in your cover letter, and at an interview. "Soft skills," such as listening and communicating well or being analytical, could also be viewed as very valuable by a potential employer. Hannon says such skills can be advantageous, regardless of the field you're in. "What a lot of employers look for if they want you to be a part of the team is if you have social skills."

So think about it: How could you redeploy your current skills and experience into a brand new job, potentially in a new field of interest to you? Is it possible to leverage your professional background, your specific expertise, and your soft skills so that you look like a very distinctive and attractive job candidate? In addition, in redeploying your abilities, do you recognize that you may have to be more flexible in accepting a new position in terms of managerial level, hours worked, or compensation?

"Redeployment"of your skills and abilities could be a key strategy to finding the right "second wind" opportunity.  

Once we've reached Boomer status, many of us already realize what we're passionate about. The challenge in this second phase of life is being able to market your passion. Wouldn't it be great if you could actually turn your passion into part-time retirement income instead of working at a random, unrewarding job?

Nancy Collamer's recent article for NextAvenue.org, "How to Turn Your Passions Into Retirement Income," spotlights some Boomers who have done just that. One of them, a food lover, now works as a part-time guide for a food tour company. Another retiree who loves dogs gets dog walking jobs online. A third Boomer who has a passion for painting is selling his artwork online. Nancy suggests four possible ways to turn your passion into retirement income:

1. Find a related part-time job
2. Apply for contract work or "gigs"
3. Sell your creations online
4. Teach what you know online.

I can tell you from personal experience that marketing your passion works. During my professional career in advertising, I always loved to read business books. Now I've retired from advertising, but I still read business books -- and I also get paid for writing reviews of them. I have combined my love of reading and an ability to write into part-time retirement income.

What is your passion? Is it something you can market? You might be surprised to find out that you really can turn your passion into retirement income.

One of the ways we Boomers are redefining retirement is by combining work and leisure in the pursuit of happiness. While not every Boomer is in a position to pursue this creative concept, it is certainly worth considering if you can make it a reality.

A good example of the leisure retiree, writes Claudia Dreifus for The New York Times, is Dr. John Siebel, a retired oncologist. Siebel decided at age 64 that he wanted to continue to see patients, but only part-time, and he wanted to find a way to combine that with his love for adventure and the outdoors. Dreifus reports that "Dr. Siebel’s answer was to become a kind of oncological 'temp,' covering for vacationing doctors with practices in interesting places — including Alaska."

This is how it works, according to Dreifus: "For up to three months of every year — the limitation is Dr. Siebel’s choice — a medical employment agency books him for short stints in remote parts of Alaska, California or Idaho. He will only accept assignments near wilderness areas.

Weekdays, he sees patients. On weekends, he heads to the mountains and explores."

Dreifus shares other examples of leisure retirees in her excellent article.

The point, I think, is that an ideal rewirement (I use the term to replace mere "retirement") is one that leverages your career skills into a flexible part-time position so you can pursue leisure activities as well. In order to do this, certain conditions must exist, of course:

• You need to have sufficient retirement savings/income so that you can work part-time rather than full-time.
• Your skills must be in demand, at least to the extent that you can achieve the kind of attractive work/leisure balance as did Dr. Siebel.

I have taken a slightly different but similar approach. I was a direct marketing professional who had started a direct marketing agency, and I also authored a number of marketing and business books. When I left the profession, I struck out as a part-time marketing consultant/part-time business writer. Nowadays, I write more than I consult. I combine that with volunteering for non-profit organizations, as well as enjoying some leisure time. In my case, the three-way balance of part-time self-employment, volunteering, and leisure work just fine. Perhaps that would work for you, too.