On 8/31/04 8:34 AM, in article ,
"Pechs1" wrote:

Doug- If you like Kerry more, that's your business, but serving in the Air
Guard
or reserves is still serving until defined otherwise by the government.
BRBR

Agree but why not look at the specifics of the time and the people involved
instead of brushing this with such a wide swath?

Why did GWB join the F-102 guard instead of another type unit, the USAF or the
USN?

Why the F-102? Did have some love affair with the mission of flying intercepts
against big targets, letting loose a Genie and goin home? Did he know that of
all the A/C in the ANG and USAF inventory at the time, the F-102 was the least
likely to go to VN?

Dunno. Don't care.

No question that serving in the ANG was a better deal than going to Viet Nam
in an active duty unit--good deal for President Bush. His good deal was
nobody else's bad deal. Frankly, if I had a child that wanted to go USN
active duty aviation, I'd advise them against it, and suggest trying for an
ANG unit too. Viet Nam or not. It's still a better deal.

Cut President Bush a wide swath for his ANG duty and/or cut Senator Kerry a
wide swath for his 3 purple hearts and post-combat conduct in front of
Congress... and/or former President Clinton for his ability to avoid the war
entirely. These events contribute specifically to defining each man's
character. I leave that definition based on those events to you.

It seems to me that folks pick the side they like (or dislike) most first,
then justify their candidate's military service based on that like or
dislike.

What matters to me is the politician's conduct, decisions, and policy-making
skill.

--Woody