On 10 Jul 2004 14:37:31 GMT, (WalterM140) wrote:

Some of these people want to say Bush got no special treatment, but I don't
know of any one who ever (at least since WWII) who got lieutenant's bars
without going through OCS or some sort of officer qualification program. Bush
went through a six week basic air man's course, and then got a commission.

The "six week basic air man's (sic) course" is OTS. The President did
what every other ANG input to USAF UPT does. He got his commission
through OTS. You might also use the correct terminology while spouting
your propaganda. The commissioning course is Officer Training School,
not Officer Training School which was the term during WW II for Army
"90 day wonders".

And, you might look into "direct commissioning" and expand your
knowledge base. While it doesn't apply to line officers, the special
components such as Medical Corps, JAG, BEE, etc. can receive direct
commissions. Ever wonder why you never met an active duty military
medical doctor in the grade of Lt?

I think that Gore's father and Bush's father both had the same idea in mind in
the '60's. If their sons were going to have political aspirations, they had to
serve honorably. Gore did go to Viet Nam and as far as I know, completely his
service honorably and completely.

Ah, the ol' "as far as I know" escape clause. Well, after today, you
can know--Gore served 151 days of a 360 day "combat tour". He has used
the statement that "I went because if I didn't, someone else would
have had to serve in my place." A noble sentiment, but the fact is
that someone else did have to serve to complete his curtailed tour.

One might also note the tour length for John Kerry. Do we see a trend
among political candidates to "fill the square" then leave?

He got a cushy job, so be it. But Bush DID
NOT complete his service honorably - his dad made sure that the records
reflected honorable service, but unfortunately for the Bushies, there is this
one pesky document that shows a conclusive 16 month break in Bush's service.

Repeat, repeat, repeat and eventually the "Big Lie" is accepted as
truth. After 4 and a half years of a six year commitment, the
President took a temporary duty attachment to Alabama and then
accepted an "early out" as did many excess members of the active and
reserve forces at the end of the Vietnam War. You continue to assert
"dad made sure" but GHWB would hardly have the clout in '73 to
influence record falsification.

Hopefully, more will be made of this in the coming months. Because unlike Gore
-or- Clinton, Senator Kerry served with distinction.

Must be a typo there? Watch through the summer as more and more
Vietnam era vets join the 124 Swift boat commanders who have already
come forward to offer comment from a first-person perspective on
Senator Kerry's self-service.


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