On 06 Mar 2004 17:37:49 GMT, (ArtKramr) wrote:

Subject: Rumsfeld and flying
From: Ed Rasimus

If you return to the bios, you'll note that upon graduation from NROTC
(pretty serious commitment and additionally indicative of getting a
college degree without some sort of inheritance or paternal
influence), he fulfilled his active duty commitment in the '50s (after
Korea, before SEA). He could then have drifted out of service upon
completion of ready reserve requirements, but he didn't.

He appears to have moved down a pretty impressive career path before
SEA heated up. The fact that he simultaneously maintained his reserve
qualifications is adequate for me.

Ed Rasimus

WOW ! I'm really impressed. A trained skilled pilot who during a shooting war
got out of all combat commitments. Now that is what I call skill.


Arthur Kramer

Lemme see, Art, aren't you the one who was recently demanding total
obedience to orders. So, we've got this guy who goes through ROTC
(during a shooting war--Korea), then with the war over (not his
fault), he fulfills his active duty commitment, starts his real-world
career and is successful(!) Although he could abandon the military, he
continues to serve his country as a Naval Reserve officer and aviator.
His unit (through no fault of his own) is not called to active duty.
It could be, and he would go, but it isn't. So he serves and he
succeeds.

I don't see any "got out of all combat commitments" going on here. I
know you'd like to find some. Conversely, I might ask how long was
your reserve service after WW II? Didn't you realize there was a need
for your skills? Why weren't you in Korea? How old were you when
Vietnam heated up?--That would be rhetoric and cheap shots, so I won't
descend to them.

You served with honor. So did the SecDef. You had one situation, he
had another. Don't attempt to demean him or others to fit your agenda.
Or, at least if you do, then keep the ROE consistent.


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8