Top Gun CUNNINGHAM: I broke the law, concealed my conduct and disgraced my office.

Ed Rasimus wrote:
You might want to look beyond the media talking points. Even ANG
pilots are full time active duty for all of their UPT and operational
training. They then qualify for mission-ready in their unit of
assignment. GWB handled all of that for nearly five years.

It may be a media talking point to you, but it's true. W might have
been "mission ready" but only the most naive person in the world would
believe that he would have ever had to go. The man's whole life has
been one of privilege and benefit. John Kerry was also mission ready
and stepped up to the plate.

The flight physical issue is a red herring. His TX unit was
re-equipping with a different aircraft and a different mission. He
wasn't flying when he got attached to the Montgomery ANG unit which
was also transitioning from RF-84 to RF-4C and had NEITHER TYPE in
place at the period in question. In other words, no flying
opportunity, no requirement for a flight physical.

Doesn't sound "mission ready" to me. Are you saying that all the other
pilots in his unit skipped their physicals also?

The one with the Yale degree and the
Harvard MBA?

A legacy.

.. But, Harvard doesn't issue MBA's on legacy credentials.

And you know this how? Anyway, of course they don't issue them solely
on legacy credentials. In W's case, however, he relied on it.
Interestingly, one of W's B school profs recently reported that W was
not a good student but was not reluctant to remind everyone just who
his family was.

Or, is that somehow implying that flying military fighters is a simple
task? In combat?

Not saying it is simple, but it's not rocket science, either. He never
flew in combat...never even saw combat...never went to Nam (unlike his
last opponent).

No, he didn't go to Vietnam. At the time he went to UPT, the F-102
(from various ANG units) WAS being rotated through SEA and the
possibility for assignment existed. By the time he was operationally
ready, the aircraft was no longer being used in the limited mission it
had in SEA.

How convenient.

I've encountered some unsophisticated tactical aviators along the way,
and even some folks populating fighter cockpits who were in no way,
shape or form, qualified to carry the title, Fighter Pilot.

I didn't know you'd met W.

I haven't met him, but I'm a close friend of the guy who was GWB's
T-38 Instructor Pilot at in UPT. The guy flew F-105s with me as a 1/Lt
and we both went into the training business after our 100 missions
tours. He testifies to GWB's capabilities in the fighter business and
I've no reason to doubt him.

So, it's just a coincidence that some of his records have been lost
(like the DUI charges). Again, how convenient.

He's been to the White House twice in the
last three years on personal visits.

Oh, well then...


But I
don't know a single one that I would characterize as "profoundly
stupid".

You got any experience in that line?

No. Unlike you, I don't have any experience being profoundly stupid.

We might get some objective evaluators here in the news group to
validate that now. I think you don't give your experience enough
credit.

Actually, I don't need appraisal by others. My educational and
professional accomplishments are enough, thank you.