It's official: Bush was not AWOL

[qwerty]

Pentagon Releases Bush's Guard Records

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon (news - web sites) on Friday released payroll records from President Bush (news - web sites)'s 1972 service in the Alabama National Guard, saying its earlier contention the records were destroyed was an "inadvertent oversight."

The records cover July through September of 1972, when Bush was working as a campaign volunteer in Alabama. The future president had been transferred from the Texas Air National Guard to the Alabama unit so he could stay in Alabama.

The release came days before Democrats began their national convention in Boston to officially nominate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) as their presidential candidate.

Democrats have sought to contrast Bush's National Guard service with Kerry's Vietnam War record. Kerry enlisted in the Navy, volunteered for combat in Vietnam and earned several medals including a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts. After returning from Vietnam, Kerry became a prominent anti-war activist.

The Associated Press had asked a federal judge July 16 to order the Pentagon to quickly turn over a copy of the pay records. The AP had sued under the Freedom of Information Act to obtain the records from a state library records center in Texas.

Records of Bush's National Guard service released previously did not conclusively show whether Bush fulfilled his service requirements in 1972 and 1973, during the Vietnam War.

Bush had transferred to an Alabama National Guard unit while he worked on the U.S. Senate campaign of Republican Winton Blount, a family friend.

The Pentagon had said that the payroll records for that time period had been inadvertently destroyed.

In a letter to The Associated Press Friday, Pentagon freedom of information chief C.Y. Talbot said the records couldn't be found earlier because officials were using the wrong index number.

The Associated Press was evaluating the documents.

[mddem2004]

Yes....BUT.......He did, on his own vocation, without prior authorization, fail to show for his Flight Physical in April of 72 thereby disqualifying him to fly his F-102 in the Texas Air National Guard. He did, on his own vocation, without PRIOR authorization to do so, go to Alabama to work on a political campaign, BEFORE his transfer orders to the Alabama Air National Guard came through. In fact, his request for transfer was not made until after he was disqualified to fly and he was already in Alabama. The unit he reported to in Alabama to "make up his time" after the campaign he worked on failed, did not fly the aircraft that he was trained to fly.

Just make sure you tell ALL the facts about Bush's disappearence........

[agcatter]

Donkeys trotted this tired old story back in March.  If they wish to waste their time trying it out one more time than they are welcome to do so.  Had no legs in March and will have no legs in July.  No one cares.  That was established the first time they trotted it out...

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

And republicans are whining about the irresponsibility of Kerry failing to get to the Senate to cast meaningless votes.  So what is it?  Should people do their job or not?  

[MODU]

He did do his job.  However, since this debate has been going on for years, even if all the records were available, people would still be arguing it.  So I won't waste the time and energy on it.

Now, if you want to argue if people should show up to work, then yes, the should.  The is a difference though when you are an elected official.  You very rarely can be "fired" from not doing your work as an elected official, unlike in any other perfession, including the military.

[mddem2004]

Donkeys trotted this tired old story back in March.  If they wish to waste their time trying it out one more time than they are welcome to do so.  Had no legs in March and will have no legs in July.  No one cares.  That was established the first time they trotted it out...

agcat.......Just trying to make sure the record is straight on this issue, I too could care less about the story, I already know that Kerry is a genuine war hero and Bush is not......

[??????????]

Donkeys trotted this tired old story back in March.  If they wish to waste their time trying it out one more time than they are welcome to do so.  Had no legs in March and will have no legs in July.  No one cares.  That was established the first time they trotted it out...

agcat.......Just trying to make sure the record is straight on this issue, I too could care less about the story, I already know that Kerry is a genuine war hero and Bush is not......

Please put hero as "hero".

[mddem2004]

Donkeys trotted this tired old story back in March.  If they wish to waste their time trying it out one more time than they are welcome to do so.  Had no legs in March and will have no legs in July.  No one cares.  That was established the first time they trotted it out...

agcat.......Just trying to make sure the record is straight on this issue, I too could care less about the story, I already know that Kerry is a genuine war hero and Bush is not......

Please put hero as "hero".

Lets see.....one Silver Star, one Bronze Star, three Purple Hearts, credited with 20 confirmed VC kills, saved the life of a drowning special forces soldier while under fire, volunteered not only for combat service in Vietnam upon graduation from Yale, but volunteered for the Swift Boat Service in which 70% of those served were killed or wounded..........yeah I'd say he's a REAL American HERO......

I just don't get those on the right that can't call someone a hero unless he's one of their guys. I have no problem recognizing that Bob Dole and George H. W. Bush were and are Real heros for their service.

The problem here, and I think StatesRights you should just admit it, is that Georgie Bush's record of service just ain't nothin to write home about and is in fact less than stellar. Why don't you just face up to that and get over it instead of attempting to trash someone who has actually put his life on the line for his country and did so admirably.

True Patriots don't give a damn which political party our country's heros belong to.........

[agcatter]

...and then came immediately back home and labeled his comrades war criminals.  He's all class.

[??????????]

Donkeys trotted this tired old story back in March.  If they wish to waste their time trying it out one more time than they are welcome to do so.  Had no legs in March and will have no legs in July.  No one cares.  That was established the first time they trotted it out...

agcat.......Just trying to make sure the record is straight on this issue, I too could care less about the story, I already know that Kerry is a genuine war hero and Bush is not......

Please put hero as "hero".

Lets see.....one Silver Star, one Bronze Star, three Purple Hearts, credited with 20 confirmed VC kills, saved the life of a drowning special forces soldier while under fire, volunteered not only for combat service in Vietnam upon graduation from Yale, but volunteered for the Swift Boat Service in which 70% of those served were killed or wounded..........yeah I'd say he's a REAL American HERO......

I just don't get those on the right that can't call someone a hero unless he's one of their guys. I have no problem recognizing that Bob Dole and George H. W. Bush were and are Real heros for their service.

The problem here, and I think StatesRights you should just admit it, is that Georgie Bush's record of service just ain't nothin to write home about and is in fact less than stellar. Why don't you just face up to that and get over it instead of attempting to trash someone who has actually put his life on the line for his country and did so admirably.

True Patriots don't give a damn which political party our country's heros belong to.........

Military service is meaningless IMHO. Its not a qualification to be president and the majority of our great presidents have not been heros. In fact some of the worst ones have been vets. I'm shocked Kerry did all that in 4 months. I wonder however how a person can get up after being shot with a .50 caliber, as in the case of the "kid" with the shoulder rocket attempting to shoot at the Swift Boat. Plus I question 2 of the 3 purple hearts. It's my right as a citizen to believe his stories are overblown, much like a old man who says, "I once caught a fish, <////////<, this big.

[Keystone Phil]

Donkeys trotted this tired old story back in March.  If they wish to waste their time trying it out one more time than they are welcome to do so.  Had no legs in March and will have no legs in July.  No one cares.  That was established the first time they trotted it out...

agcat.......Just trying to make sure the record is straight on this issue, I too could care less about the story, I already know that Kerry is a genuine war hero and Bush is not......

Please put hero as "hero".

True Patriots don't give a damn which political party our country's heros belong to.........

Does a true hero make a campaign ad or give a speech highlighting their heroism every chance they get? John Kerry served and we are all proud. Fighting in any war, especially Vietnam, is difficult. But I think America is getting tired of this whole John Kerry is a war hero stuff.

[mddem2004]

Donkeys trotted this tired old story back in March.  If they wish to waste their time trying it out one more time than they are welcome to do so.  Had no legs in March and will have no legs in July.  No one cares.  That was established the first time they trotted it out...

agcat.......Just trying to make sure the record is straight on this issue, I too could care less about the story, I already know that Kerry is a genuine war hero and Bush is not......

Please put hero as "hero".

True Patriots don't give a damn which political party our country's heros belong to.........

But I think America is getting tired of this whole John Kerry is a war hero stuff.

Could be......yet I would bet that with a majority of the American public now lamenting Bush's bumbling in Iraq, they are looking for somone who actually knows what its like to be in war......something Bush does not know......something Kerry does......before our troops are sent to die for some ambiguous reason.

Besides, Bush is campaigning as the "War Time President"....so yeah , he's fair game on this issue.........

Oh, thats right, after thursday he's now the "Peace President".....
Hard to keep up with all his flip flops ya know..........

[agcatter]

BTW, did you know Kerry served in Vietnam?

[qwerty]

And he won three purple hearts... I wouldn't know that if he didn't say it every ten minutes. He's so modest.

[John Dibble]

I don't see why anyone even gives a flying f*** about Bush's National Gaurd history or Kerry's Vietnam service. Both happened 30 years ago - back in a time when they were both young and stupid. Think about it - three decades. Within that time they've both probably changed a lot. Who's to say they would make the same decisions today if they were put in similar situations? I only care about their recent histories and voting records, which are more reflective of what they are today.

"Wizard’s Seventh Rule: Life is the future, not the past. The past can teach us, through experience, how to accomplish things in the future, comfort us with cherished memories, and provide the foundation of what has already been accomplished. But only the future holds life. To live in the past is to embrace what is dead. To live life to its fullest, each day must be created anew. As rational, thinking beings we must use our intellect, not a blind devotion to what has come before, to make rational choices." - Terry Goodkind, 'Pillars of Creation'

[PBrunsel]

I don't see why anyone even gives a flying f*** about Bush's National Gaurd history or Kerry's Vietnam service. Both happened 30 years ago - back in a time when they were both young and stupid.

I aggree Mr. Dibble. Good post.