George W Bush's Military Service

[Sapper Woody]

I decided to start a new thread instead of de-railing the thread in which this statement was made.

(it is funny that you try and say that Bush Jr served though...his service was a joke).

Now, I am not going to argue at this point. I just want some clarification. I hadn't heard anyone say anything like this before, so I looked it up. The most informative website I found was wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush_military_service_controversy

Does anyone have any information on this not stated in the wikipedia article? If so, please provide references. Thanks.

 

[ktn4eg]

Compare this to our current Commander-in-Chief's record of military service.

Oh yeah, that's right, Obama doesn't have a record of military service, does he!

 

[targus]

Compare this to our current Commander-in-Chief's record of military service.

Oh yeah, that's right, Obama doesn't have a record of military service, does he!

We don't know...

Everything is a big secret where it comes to "the One".

For all I know he served in the Kenyan army. :smilewinkgrin:

 

[Bro. Curtis]

I heard Dan Rather had some info....

 

[Don]

I decided to start a new thread instead of de-railing the thread in which this statement was made.



Now, I am not going to argue at this point. I just want some clarification. I hadn't heard anyone say anything like this before, so I looked it up. The most informative website I found was wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush_military_service_controversy

Does anyone have any information on this not stated in the wikipedia article? If so, please provide references. Thanks.

Woody - suffice to say, there are unanswered questions.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

Compare this to our current Commander-in-Chief's record of military service.

Oh yeah, that's right, Obama doesn't have a record of military service, does he!

Nice derail. Every thread is not a bash Obama thread. Oh yeah... I forgot...it is to the haters. Carry on.

 

[carpro]

I decided to start a new thread instead of de-railing the thread in which this statement was made.



Now, I am not going to argue at this point. I just want some clarification. I hadn't heard anyone say anything like this before, so I looked it up. The most informative website I found was wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush_military_service_controversy

Does anyone have any information on this not stated in the wikipedia article? If so, please provide references. Thanks.

Some people consider service in the National Guard a joke. Especially those that haven't served at all.

 

[mont974x4]

Why are people allowing liberals to distract them with more W issues? This election is about Obama, his qualifications (or lack of) and his handling (or mishandling) of todays issues.

 

[just-want-peace]

Why are people allowing liberals to distract them with more W issues? This election is about Obama, his qualifications (or lack of) and his handling (or mishandling) of todays issues.

Nope!! Sorry!!

It's all Bush's fault; every bit; the last jot & tittle; the alpha & omega; and if you don't believe me, just ask the ZERO!!:tongue3:

 

[mont974x4]

I just want to know how W made the Roanoke Colony disappear.

 

[Sapper Woody]

Why are people allowing liberals to distract them with more W issues? This election is about Obama, his qualifications (or lack of) and his handling (or mishandling) of todays issues.

And this thread isn't about the election, or about President Obama at all. I heard something that I hadn't heard before, looked it up, and was trying to get clarification.

On my part, the fact that he signed up and served, and was discharged honorably is enough for me. But I couldn't help but be curious.

Some people consider service in the National Guard a joke. Especially those that haven't served at all.

As active duty, it's hard for me not to think that sometimes :laugh:. But the NG does have its place, and anyone willing to serve in the NG knowing that they could be sent overseas deserve a measure of respect in my book.

 

[LadyEagle]

And this thread isn't about the election, or about President Obama at all. I heard something that I hadn't heard before, looked it up, and was trying to get clarification.

On my part, the fact that he signed up and served, and was discharged honorably is enough for me. But I couldn't help but be curious.


As active duty, it's hard for me not to think that sometimes :laugh:. But the NG does have its place, and anyone willing to serve in the NG knowing that they could be sent overseas deserve a measure of respect in my book.

The Tennessee NG has served honorably in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, and elsewhere. We have lost some. In fact, from the web site, more than 27,000 Tennessee Army and Air National Guardsmen have deployed since Sept. 11, 2001.

The troops loved President Bush, I think it is because he loved them and had served. He was "one of them." I remember watching GW's "tail hook" landing and how excited everyone was on the carrier, me included (even though I watched it on TV). Of course someone made a big deal about the "Mission Accomplished" banner, but he wasn't responsible for that, the crew was.

Anyhow, my personal opinion is that anyone who is CIC should have had military service, but that is just my opinion.

 

[saturneptune]

Nope!! Sorry!!

It's all Bush's fault; every bit; the last jot & tittle; the alpha & omega; and if you don't believe me, just ask the ZERO!!:tongue3:

Not only that, it was his fault from eternity past.

 

[ktn4eg]

I stubbed my toe the other day....It was GW's fault!!!!!

 

[Salty]

The big "problem" with W was that he had moved to Mississippi towards the end of his military commitment. He had requested a transfer to a unit there. If I remember correctly, the situation was that the aircraft he had been training on was being replace and new training would not be cost effective.
He initially joined in '68 for a six year commitment with the last two being inactive reserve.

I find it interesting that the Dems made such a big issue of Bush and the military when Clinton was an actual draft dodger. At least Veep Gore did serve in a combat zone.

The OP stated (in a quote") that his service was a joke. I would agree that nearly 500 hrs of flight time is a joke - NOT!
But then again, I am sure that the individual who made that original statement is a veteran of military service - or is he? BB posters want to know

Allow me to finish with this. About a dozen years ago, I ran for State Assembly. My opponent - the incumbent (and with the most liberal voting record in the State) met me for a debate. In a private conversation, we talked about the military. I had been on active duty for over a decade. Bill had been a JAG officer in the Reserves with no active duty. Bill told me he did not feel qualified to be called a Veteran. I told him he had worn the uniform of the US Army proudly and I considered him a fellow veteran. Our military service was never made an issue in our campaign.

Salty

PS - Bill won the election!

 

[Sapper Woody]

Anyhow, my personal opinion is that anyone who is CIC should have had military service, but that is just my opinion.

That has been my opinion even before I joined the military. The way the military works, you promote from within. You don't bring a civilian in to suddenly become a Battalion Commander, Brigade Commander, or Division Commander. Why would you bring one in to command them all?

I think that in order to be considered for President, you must have completed 3yrs, 17wks (The minimum contract currently allowed) of service, with at least 2 of those years active. I mean no disrespect to the reserve/guard components, but there really is a different mentality in the active component and the reserve/guard components. I've witnessed this first hand several times.

He initially joined in '68 for a six year commitment with the last two being inactive reserve.

The article I read siad that he signed s 6 year committment, 2 active (for training purposes) and 4 reserve. I can't be sure how it was back then, but nowadays any time you sign up it is really for an 8 year minimum. Your actual time plus inactive ready reserve time. For instance, if you sign for 6 years, once you do your 6, you have 2 years left with the IRR. (For those of you who don't know what the IRR is, it is a time when you aren't actually in the military, but your name is on a list and you can be called back to duty if needed.)

According to the article, he requested a discharge early (several months) from his reserve component, and was granted it, sending him to the IRR. There is nothing wrong with this at all.

The article also states that there is no record of him doing some hours of training. Here is where it gets sticky. There are people who say that they saw him there, yet there is no record of him being there. While this can warrant negative action, it can be waived, meaning that he could have been excused.

For my part, I am not going to look too deep into it. It's in the past, and no longer actively affects us today. I was just curious.

 

[carpro]

As active duty, it's hard for me not to think that sometimes :laugh:. But the NG does have its place, and anyone willing to serve in the NG knowing that they could be sent overseas deserve a measure of respect in my book.

Check out the record of the 36th Division during WWII to get a good perspective on what the NG may be called on to do and how well they do it.

You might enjoy the history.

 

[Bro. Curtis]

Some people consider service in the National Guard a joke. Especially those that haven't served at all.

Amen to that. :thumbsup:

 

[ktn4eg]

Amen to that. :thumbsup:

A double amen to that!!

There was a time years ago that the National Guard was looked upon as almost a "fifth wheel" compared to that of the full-time active duty components of the military. However, that all began to change with the implementation of what is called the "Total Force Concept" back in the 1990's.

While I did have what amounted to about five years of active duty in the USAF back in the Vietnam era of the 1960's, I also served over 16 years in the Tennessee Air National Guard from 1988-2005. During that period of time there were several elements that were called up to serve right along side of the full-time active duty forces.

In 2003 my entire unit was called up to serve during the opening months of Operation Iraqi Freedom (along with at least about six other ANG units from other states). During the time we were deployed overseas, my unit achieved a 92% Fully Mission Capable Rate for our aircraft--a rating that was unmatched by any active duty unit.

I say all of this to point out that service in the National Guard (be it the Army Guard or the Air Guard) nowadays has to meet the very same stringent standards that our active duty military does.

 

[carpro]

A double amen to that!!


I say all of this to point out that service in the National Guard (be it the Army Guard or the Air Guard) nowadays has to meet the very same stringent standards that our active duty military does.

Always has.