Newsweek: Bush was AWOL

[Beetwasher]

Patriot Games
Bush strategists may feel tempted to attack John Kerry’s opposition to Vietnam. Why it’s a battle they can’t win

The voters don't want to refight the Vietnam war, but with John Kerry looking like the likely nominee, Vietnam returns to the front pages. Kerry is accompanied on the campaign trail by the men he served with in the Mekong Delta. "I know a little something about aircraft carriers for real," he says, in an allusion to President George W. Bush's premature "Mission Accomplished" landing last spring on the USS Abraham Lincoln.

--snip--

Retired general Wesley Clark was widely criticized for not objecting when left-wing activist Michael Moore called Bush a "deserter" in his presence. As a military man, Clark knows that deserting is a capital offense, reserved for those who have been court-martialed and found guilty. The charge against Bush is that he was AWOL for a year of his service in the National Guard. Once the pundits finished critiquing the impact on Clark of the presumed gaffe, the next logical question is to ask where Bush was during that year, how he got away with his absenteeism, and does it matter?

--snip--

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4114162/

Gotta love it!

[maddezmom]

1. thanks for posting :)

[cheezus]

2. mp3.com is no more, where can i find that song?

[Beetwasher]

5. Hmmm

Thanks, I forgot to update my sig...

I haven't posted my songs anywhere else yet, but as soon as I do, I'll link them in my sig!

Or if you want to PM me an email address, I can send you an MP3...

[baby_bear]

3. Of course it matters.

I wonder why they felt it necessary to even ask that question, as though perhaps being AWOL for one entire year wouldn't matter?

s_m

[maxr4clark]

4. Amazing

Truly amazing how much trouble Clark is being given for Moore's choice of words. But then, noone in the media wants to even admit that Clark is running, anyway.

[StClone]

6. The Jenning's Ploy

As it was happening I kept asking myself why would Peter Jennings assail Clark in the debate a few weeks ago on whether Bush was AWOL. It was a ploy that was meant to out Bush in my opinion...and it worked.

Feigning indignation Jennings appeared to question Clark as to his ability to control the rhetoric of those that support him.

Jennings appeared to be anything other than "Pro-Bush" in this tact. Peter was well aware that whatever Clark said it would in wend around to "the next logical question is to ask where Bush was during that year, how he got away with his absenteeism, and does it matter?"

Thanks to the General and Jennings we have a story.

[Beetwasher]

9. Maybe

It certainly had that effect. I don't watch Jennings that much but I've heard others say hes pretty whorish...I could be wrong...

[asjr]

11. I said the very same

thing when I read some DUers blasting Jennings. I had never received any pro-Bush element from Jennings before. He is a very subtle man an has needled Bush before both in speech and body language.

[maggrwaggr]

27. uh ... I think you're reaching there big time

making the classic democratic nice-guy mistake that people were actually well-intentioned.

Jennings is an asshole. Plain and simple.

[trof]

32. Boy, you're a lot more devious-minded

than I am, and I mean that as a compliment.
;-)

[dmr]

37. I had the same impression

in politics you gotta play the game, and if it hurts Bush*, then let's play some more.

[Terwilliger]

46. Thanks to the General and Jennings???

Aren't you leaving out the only reason the story even came up??

OnEdit: added word

[Danieljay]

49. I thought this from the start

Thanks to Jennings, this is moving forward.

[Hekate]

50. I liked Peter Jennings for that one

Well, I usually like him anyway -- but I thought he did a good job with his "shocked, just shocked that you would say that" shtick. The way he put it kept the issue out there, and on national tv for a change.

Thanks, Peter.

Hekate

[TeeYiYi]

7. "He has not been candid" . . . there's a first. Great post! . . .

"He has not been candid about his absences from the Guard. After the Boston Globe story broke in 2000, Bush said through a spokesman that he has "some recollection" of attending drills during the time period in question, but conceded that he was not consistent. Records unearthed by the Globe showed that Bush was removed from flight status in August 1972 for failing to take his annual flight physical. Bush aides said he didn't take the physical because his personal physician was in Houston, and he was in Alabama working on a political campaign. But that explanation didn't hold up because flight physicals must be administered by certified Air Force flight surgeons, and Bush easily could have found one at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., where he was living."

TYY

On Edit: fix my quote

[Sir Craig]

15. That line always killed me...

"Bush aides said he didn't take the physical because his personal physician (read as, "Quack who could doctor his drug test results.") was in Houston, and he was in Alabama working on a political campaign." As a current member of the military, it makes me wonder why the media never jumped on this line - it is so obviously a bald-faced lie (as any member of the military knows - "personal physicians"?) that every red flag should have flown up the pole. But the "liberal" media apparently didn't see a need to delve further.

Bush* was most certainly AWOL - whether it was Jennings contention to have the matter be resurrected or not, it needs to be screamed from the highest rooftops, especially as this bastard has gotten more of my fellow servicemen killed for no fucking reason than anyone since his father.

God, I can't wait until November 2 - Robertson's conversation with God will be seen for the fraud it is when that prick and his cronies get booted from the White House.

[buycitgo]

19. I'd love to know what percentage of vets know about this

It's been out there for at least FIVE YEARS.....surely longer, as there have been brief mentions of this going back to his run for governor, IIRC

[never cry wolf]

30. Welcome to DU, Sir Craig!!

And thanks you very much for your service!!!!!!!

:hi:

[Leilani]

8. The hypocrisy of the thing

They blast Clark for not refuting Moore

They don't blast Bush for being AWOL

"No sense makes sense" ....Charlie Manson

[buycitgo]

18. absolutely, Leilani. and guess what? I talked to your bud McCain about

AWOL!

on NPR's Talk of the Nation, in 2000.

he averred that he'd accept the chimp's version of where he was, citing the girl he supposedly "dated" in Alabama, who said he TOLD her he'd gone a meetin'

told him I thought it was a shame that he was supporting an "empty suit"

he was very charming, I will admit, but I aced him on the facts (can't remember exactly what I said now, but it had to do with the speciousness of the girl's claim, Turnipseed's recollection that he'd NEVER reported in, and the reward offered by memebers of the Alabama unit)

it was fun

[Leilani]

34. Thanks for response

McCain has been a great disappointment to me...

I supported him in 2000 for change...saw what was done to him...
changed from Indy to Dems...

He has been a "good soldier" for his party..

I still admire his sacrice for country & outspokeness, but I have sent him many angry emails...I'm on his list for campaign finance reform.

Told him I was really fed up with defense of Bush...also hawkish position on Iraq...he should have known better.

After many, many campaigns, I realize in the end, they always disappoint you, because they are all politicians.

[Edge]

10. This isn't new...

I knew Bush was AWOL before he ran f or Prez. But, the ignorant public hasn't, so it's a good thing that this story came out.

Hopefully the vets of previous wars realize that this awol asshole should NOT be Commander in Chief and votes his ass out of office come November.

[grasswire]

12. bless you Martin Heldt

The fruit of Marty's work is ripening.

Heldt is the Iowa farmer who decided to investigate Bush's military record. He sent FOIA requests and received copies of documents, and published them on the Internet.

This is the reason we know what we know about AWOL.

[buycitgo]

21. here here grasswire

have you heard anything from him lately?

I've emailed him a couple times recently, since this has come up, but haven't heard back

same with donna zen......what's up with her?

[Malva Zebrina]

42. yes, bravo to Marty, a true patriot

and a brave man. It was not the Boston Globe reporters who first discovered these facts about the let's pretend, shameless, actor, George Bush on stage, up front on the USS Lincoln, in pilot costume, it was Marty Heldt who clued them in.

[mopinko]

13. heard phillips on fresh air

a great interview. i thought about buying this book, but i don't think my blood pressure could stand it. but phillips is a repub, from the old school. he said the gop has left him, and many others behind. it was great.

[enough]

14. Infuriating!

I agree it's great to see this in Newsweek now, but WHERE WERE THEY IN 2000???

[gonefishing]

16. I'm really trying to get this straight

Any facts would help me as I start my ABB local campaign:

1) It sounds like his daddy jumped him over 500 names to get him in the Texas guard.

2) It sounds like he only did two years of Guard service and was able to get out early of I guess a 4 year commitment?

3) Was the year he was absent out of the two year, which would only mean 1 year (all this during the V-War).

4) Did he ever actually fly a plane. A F-102a is a one seater. I can't believe he flew a plan like this by himself. There is another TF-102 Dual-cockpit trainer was it that plane?

I would really like to know the facts here.

[Stephanie]

17. Some references for your research:

I made one post, for easier copying, from the links posted in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1047177#1047181

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/message/index.php

The pundits immediately went berserk after the debate. As well they should. Because they know that they -- and much of the mainstream media -- ignored this Bush AWOL story when it was first revealed by an investigation in the Boston Globe (in 2000). The Globe said it appeared George W. Bush skipped out in the middle of his Texas Air National Guard service -- and no charges were ever brought against him. It was a damning story, and Bush has never provided any documents or evidence to refute the Globe's charges.

George W. Bush was missing for at least a 12 month period. That is an undisputed fact. If you or I did that, we would serve time.

Senator Daniel Inouye, Democrat of Hawaii and a World War II veteran, joined with Vietnam vets Sen. Max Cleland and Sen. Bob Kerrey to challenge Bush on the gaps in his military record. "The question is, where were you, Governor Bush? What would you do as commander-in-chief if someone in the National Guard did the same thing? At the least, I would have been court-martialed. At the least, I would have been placed in prison," Inouye said.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The definitive site - a comprehensive collection of links, articles and official documents:

http://www.awolbush.com/

Where were you in '72?
Most of us remember...Bush does not...

So, while the news networks have sat on this explosive story for months, it's well documented that George W. Bush never showed up for National Guard duty for a period of approximately one year, possibly more, in 1972-1973. Despite all the talk about "honor and dignity," Bush seems to have a problem meeting his commitments.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.tompaine.com/feature.cfm/ID/3671

FINALLY, THE TRUTH ABOUT BUSH'S MILITARY SERVICE RECORD
George W.'s Missing Year

Marty Heldt is a farmer. He told us, "I spent 17 years as a brakeman before moving back to the farm. That job had some long layovers that gave me a lot of time to read and to educate myself." He lives in Clinton, Iowa.

Nearly two hundred manila-wrapped pages of George Walker Bush's service records came to me like some sort of giant banana stuffed into my mailbox.

I had been seeking more information about his military record to find out what he did during what I think of as his "missing year," when he failed to show up for duty as a member of the Air National Guard, as the Boston Globe first reported.

The initial page I examined is a chronological listing of Bush's service record. This document charts active duty days served from the time of his enlistment. His first year, a period of extensive training, young Bush is credited with serving 226 days. In his second year in the Guard, Bush is shown to have logged a total of 313 days. After Bush got his wings in June 1970 until May 1971, he is credited with a total of 46 days of active duty. From May 1971 to May 1972, he logged 22 days of active duty.

Then something happened. From May 1, 1972 until April 30, 1973 -- a period of twelve months -- there are no days shown, though Bush should have logged at least thirty-six days service (a weekend per month in addition to two weeks at camp).

<The documents are available at: http://users.cis.net/coldfeet/document.htm >

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paul Krugman:

http://truthout.org/docs_03/050703G.shtml

Mind you, it was funny. At first the White House claimed the dramatic tail-hook landing was necessary because the carrier was too far out to use a helicopter. In fact, the ship was so close to shore that, according to The Associated Press, administration officials "acknowledged positioning the massive ship to provide the best TV angle for Bush's speech, with the sea as his background instead of the San Diego coastline."

A U.S.-based British journalist told me that he and his colleagues had laughed through the whole scene. If Tony Blair had tried such a stunt, he said, the press would have demanded to know how many hospital beds could have been provided for the cost of the jet fuel.

But U.S. television coverage ranged from respectful to gushing. Nobody pointed out that Mr. Bush was breaking an important tradition. And nobody seemed bothered that Mr. Bush, who appears to have skipped more than a year of the National Guard service that kept him out of Vietnam, is now emphasizing his flying experience. (Spare me the hate mail. An exhaustive study by The Boston Globe found no evidence that Mr. Bush fulfilled any of his duties during that missing year. And since Mr. Bush has chosen to play up his National Guard career, this can't be shrugged off as old news.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<Right click and copy link location - it's so long it distorts the page>
http://www.boston.com/news/politics/campaign2000/news/One_year_gap_in_Bush_s_Guard_duty+.shtml">Boston Globe

One-year gap in Bush's National Guard duty
No record of airman at drills from 1972-73
By Walter V. Robinson, Globe Staff, 5/23/2000

AUSTIN, Texas - After George W. Bush became governor in 1995, the Houston Air National Guard unit he had served with during the Vietnam War years honored him for his work, noting that he flew an F-102 fighter-interceptor until his discharge in October 1973.

And Bush himself, in his 1999 autobiography, ''A Charge to Keep,'' recounts the thrills of his pilot training, which he completed in June 1970. ''I continued flying with my unit for the next several years,'' the governor wrote.

But both accounts are contradicted by copies of Bush's military records, obtained by the Globe. In his final 18 months of military service in 1972 and 1973, Bush did not fly at all. And for much of that time, Bush was all but unaccounted for: For a full year, there is no record that he showed up for the periodic drills required of part-time guardsmen.

Bush, who declined to be interviewed on the issue, said through a spokesman that he has ''some recollection'' of attending drills that year, but maybe not consistently.

From May to November 1972, Bush was in Alabama working in a US Senate campaign, and was required to attend drills at an Air National Guard unit in Montgomery. But there is no evidence in his record that he did so. And William Turnipseed, the retired general who commanded the Alabama unit back then, said in an interview last week that Bush never appeared for duty there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://bushwatch.org/bushgate2.htm

JUNIOR AWOL ON DRUGS?

"THE Republican frontrunner for the White House, George W Bush, was suspended from flying as a young pilot for failing to take a medical examination that included a drug test.
"Documents obtained by The Sunday Times reveal that in August 1972, as a 26-year-old subaltern in the Air National Guard, Bush was grounded for failing to "accomplish" an annual medical that would have indicated whether he was taking drugs....While he has consistently admitted to a "misspent youth", Bush has evaded questions about cocaine or other drug use, implying only that he has not taken illegal substances since 1974, the year after he left the Air National Guard....

"Bush was not required to face drug tests when he first entered the reserve unit as a Yale graduate in 1968. It was only at the end of 1971 that the US Air Force, facing a backlash against drug-fuelled escapades in Vietnam, introduced a screening policy. In April 1972 the Pentagon implemented a drug-abuse testing programme that required officers on "extended active duty", including reservists such as Bush, to undergo at least one random drug test every year. The annual medical exam that year included a routine analysis of urine, a close examination of the nasal cavities and specific questions about drugs....

"Bush was said to have been unable to take the medical because he was in Alabama while his doctor was in Houston. his campaign official, however, said Bush was aware that he would be suspended for missing his medical as soon as he left Houston because the air force was unable to process his new status before the August deadline for the test. "It was just a question of following the bureaucratic procedure of the time," he said. "He knew the suspension would have to take place."

"William Turnipseed, a retired general who commanded the Alabama unit at the time, said Bush never appeared for duty. Two commanders at Ellington air force base in Houston said in his record they were unable to perform his annual evaluation covering the year from May 1, 1972 to April 30, 1973. "Lt Bush has not been observed at this unit during the period of this report," they wrote.

"...Chris Lapetina, a former marine and Democratic political consultant, said controversy about the medical exam could hurt Bush's chances among several voting blocks, including pensioners and veterans. Many servicemen would be upset if they thought a possible future president had avoided an obligatory military examination that included a drug test, he said. "When someone doesn't take a physical in the military there's got to be very good reason," Lapetina said. "It looks like he made a decision not to take it because the alternative was unpalatable." " --Sunday Times (UK), 6/17/00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

<http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A59151-2000Jun25¬Found=true>

Records of Bush's Ala. Military Duty Can't Be Found
By Wayne Slater
Dallas Morning News
Monday, June 26, 2000; Page A06

AUSTIN –– After a thorough search of military records, George W. Bush's presidential campaign has failed to find any documents proving he reported for duty during an eight-month stint in Alabama with the Texas Air National Guard.

But a spokesman expressed confidence Saturday that inquiries will turn up former Guard members who can corroborate Bush's having been there.

"He specifically recalls pulling duty in Alabama," spokesman Dan Bartlett said of Bush. "He did his drills."

<snip>

"I can't remember what I did, but I wasn't flying because they didn't have the same airplanes. I fulfilled my obligations."

In May, retired Gen. William Turnipseed, the former commander of the Alabama Guard unit, said Bush did not report to him, although the young airman was required to do so. His orders, dated Sept. 15, 1972, said: "Lieutenant Bush should report to Lt. Col. William Turnipseed, DCO, to perform equivalent training."

"To my knowledge, he never showed up," Turnipseed said last month.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.agitproperties.com/chickenhawk.html

Please read the scathing letter from Captain Maureen Griswold, (who lost her brother Scott to the Vietnam War debacle), to KB toys about their bush (non)action figure. Here's a brief excerpt:

"Note: AWOL and absent without leave' and desertion (defined as AWOL beyond 30 days), are actual crimes with NO STATUTES OF LIMITATION."

Other links to bush's (non)duty are provided on the linked web page and within the letter of Captain Griswold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the lack of coverage
http://www.uaw.org/cap/01/news/day3media.html

Let me give you some statistics," responded panelist Paul Begala, "I worked for Bill Clinton in 1992 and …in anticipation of this very question, I looked this up on Nexis. There were 13,641 stories about Bill Clinton 'dodging the draft' …and there were 49 stories about Bush and the National Guard," Begala said.

And here is a timeline.

http://uggabugga.blogspot.com/2003_01_12_uggabugga_archive.html#87590816

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bill Burkett:

May 28, 2002
A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

Pausing to Reflect After Memorial Day: Were George W. Bush's National Guard Records Scrubbed? Bill Burkett Should Know. The Nation Deserves the Truth.

(See http://199.96.2.183/contributors/2002/05/24_supreme.html to understand the context of this letter to BuzzFlash.com from Bill Burkett. It is also recommended that you read these two important postings from the Democrats.com archives: http://www.democrats.com/display.cfm?id=171 and
http://www.democrats.com/display.cfm?id=154)

Additional BuzzFlash Note: Major General Daniel James was head of the Texas National Guard at the time of the alleged scrubbing of George W. Bush's National Guard records. He was appointed by George W. Bush to be commander of the nation's Air National Guard -- and was confirmed by the Senate last week.

A Letter to BuzzFlash.com from Bill Burkett, formerly of the Texas National Guard:

In regards to the BuzzFlash contibutor piece, "SUPREME IRONY" (http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/2002/05/24_Supreme.html)

This BuzzFlash reader gets it closer to right than anyone has since 1998 when I broke the Bush AWOL story as a whistleblower.

I hope that more information will be coming soon as a few journalists are now asking questions that should have been asked in 1998.

http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/2002/05/28_Scrubbed.html

* * *

Also from the Veterans for Peace website:

What do you say?
By Bill Burkett
Online Journal Contributing Writer

March 19, 2003—I've sat in total grief for the past three years, watching the institutions of America being spent as if they were lottery winnings.

I don't want to say it, "But I told you so."

In January of 1998 and what seems like a full lifetime ago, I was stricken by a deadly case of meningoencephalitis. I was returning from a short duty trip to Panama as a team chief to inspect the hand over of Ft. Clayton to the Panamanians. I had been 'loaned' from the senior staff and state planning officer of the Texas National Guard to the Department of the Army for a series of these special projects after angering George W. Bush by refusing to falsify readiness information and reports; confronting a fraudulent funding scheme which kept 'ghost' soldiers on the books for additional funding, and refusing to alter official personnel records .

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/what_do_you_say_032203.htm

Who is Bill Burkett?

Lt. Col. Bill Burkett completed 28 years of decorated service and was medically retired from the US Army National Guard in 1998 after suffering meningoencephalitis on return from an assignment in Panama. From 1995 until his illness, Burkett served as State Plans Officer for the Texas Army National Guard and Governor George W. Bush. After refusing to follow direct orders involving falsifying readiness reports, Burkett sought "whistleblower" status for reports involving anti-Semitic activity; personnel fraud; readiness fraud and the alteration of the personal military file of Governor George W. Bush. Lt. Col. Burkett is currently the plaintiff in his appeal to the US Supreme Court in the case of Burkett v. Goodwin, Taliaferro, Meador, et al, in regard to the retaliation against him following breaking the Bush records issue. Lt. Col Burkett served as a War Plans Officer during Operation Desert Storm and functioned as a senior trainer in conducting simulations exercises for deploying troops.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

David Neiwert:

http://dneiwert.blogspot.com/2004_01_18_dneiwert_archive.html#107489673457218778

Bush blew off his commitment to the Texas Air National Guard by failing to take a physical, and thereafter failing to report to his superior officers at his old unit for at least seven months. His flight status was revoked, and he never flew again -- at least, not until the Lincoln stunt.

These facts have never been disputed since they were uncovered, and in fact were acknowledged by Bush's spokespeople. Moreover, as Joe Conason has already noted, Bush actually falsified this aspect of his service in his ghost-written autobiography, A Charge to Keep, describing his pilot's training in some detail, then concluding: ''I continued flying with my unit for the next several years." In fact, Bush was suspended from flying 22 months after he completed his training -- a period that does not even generously fit Bush's description.

Several of Bush's former superiors in the TANG -- most of whom remain on friendly terms with the president -- have defended his service and suggested that there was nothing wrong with Bush's behavior in what for most other servicemen would be considered a fairly clear case of dereliction of duty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[harper]

20. Thanks Stephanie

Wonderful set of links. I've bookmarked this thread and will send to to my republican bother as well.

[gonefishing]

40. That should keep me busy

Thank you very much!

[priller]

25. Short answers

1) Yes

2 & 3) He skipped about a year, then came back and was discharged early.

4) Yes, he flew. I don't know which plane it was exactly, but it was a model that by then was little used in the military.

[trof]

22. Just got an e-mail from Eleanor Clift!

and you can read more at my "The making of a pilot" thread here on GD.
trof

"Thanks so much for sending me your story along with an explanation of the Guard requirements. You're right -- Bush will never pay the appropriate penalty for what he did. But if it catches up with him politically, that will balance the ledger. Let's hope the public picks up on this-- Eleanor Clift"

Dear Ms Clift,
I send this out every time it comes up on the web. Maybe somewhere it will
get some traction. Feel free to use any or all of this, with or without
attribution.

At the time I joined the guard (1963), my unit was in dire need of pilots.
I heard about their pilot training program and just walked in off the
street. I took a 4 hour Air Force Officer Qualification Test (AFOQT,
basically the old Stanine general intelligence test) and another four hour
Flight Aptitude test. I passed both, although I don't remember what a
passing grade was. I do remember that 8 or 10 of us were taking the tests
and only 2 of us passed. While my test papers and applications were
forwarded to National Guard Bureau in Washington for processing and
approval, the FBI ran a security check on me. A few weeks later I was
notified that all preparations were complete and that I could present myself
at the monthly drill week-end for swearing in with a temporary commission as
a 2nd Lt. No boot camp, no nuthin'. The temporary commission was to become
permanent upon my successful completion of pilot training.

A few months later, my unit secured a slot for me in a USAF pilot training
class. It was a 55 week program. When I was awarded my wings, I returned
to Birmingham, AL (106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 117th Wing, 187th
Group, Alabama Air National Guard) and 90 days of active-duty-for-training
to check out in our unit's aircraft, the RF-84/F. I then completed my 6
year obligation and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain.
Massey Lambard
Foley, AL

AWOL? Deserter? Here are the FACTS.

Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ucmj.htm#802.%20ART.%202.%20PERSONS%20SUBJECT%20TO%20THIS%20CHAPTER

802. ART. 2. PERSONS SUBJECT TO THIS CHAPTER
(3) Members of a reserve component while on inactive-duty training, but in
the case of members of the Army National Guard of the United States or the
Air National Guard of the United States only when in Federal Service.

Bush was not in Federal Service, thus not subject to UCMJ, and therefore not
AWOL or a deserter under UCMJ.

However, from the Texas Code of Military Justice, which Bush "may have
been" (see below) subject to says:
Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. § 432.130. Desertion
(a) A member of the state military forces is guilty of desertion if the
member:
(1) without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization, or
place of duty with intent to remain away permanently;
(2) quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid
hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or
(3) without being regularly separated from one of the state military forces,
enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another of the state
military forces, or in one of the armed forces of the United States, without
fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated.
(b) A commissioned officer of the state military forces who, after tender of
his resignation and before notice of its acceptance, quits his post or
proper duties without leave and with intent to remain away permanently is
guilty of desertion.
(c) A person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert shall be
punished as a court-martial directs.

Bush was certainly in violation of one or more of these sections, but notice
the law was passed in 1987, well after he was out of the guard. So far, I
can find no information as to what the law was when Bush was in the TANG.


I was a pilot in the ALAANG 1963-1972. I can find no documentation of Alaba
ma military regulations on the web, but here's what I know to be true from
personal experience:

When I joined the guard to be trained as a pilot I signed an agreement, a
"contract" if you will. Upon successful completion of USAF pilot training,
I was committed for six years of service in the Alabama Air National Guard
(ALAANG). Pilot training lasted a little over a year, so my basic
obligation was for seven years.

If I had done exactly the same thing Bush did, skipped out and not shown up
for required drills and Flight Training Periods (FTPs)
1. I would have been located/contacted (if possible) by a superior officer
on an "unofficial" level and asked about my absence. In reality, it would
have been unthinkable for me or any of my squadron-mates to just drop out of
sight without any prior communication with my squadron or wing as to a
reason for this.
2. If I had no satisfactory "unofficial" explanation I would be required to
meet with an evaluation board of senior officers to explain my actions. If
necessary, I would have been taken into custody by military police.
3. Now it gets "official" If the board found I had no acceptable excuse,
they could offer three options.
a. I could make up the missed periods, possibly by extending my
obligation.
b. If I was unwilling to do this, I could have been assigned to
"involuntary active duty" (essentially "drafted"), probably into the Army,
as a private, for a period not to exceed the balance of my obligation. At
the time, that was a ticket straight to Viet Nam.
c. If I refused, I could be sent to jail for the balance of my obligation,
probably to Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.

You can see why it was in my best interest to show up each and every time
with a shine on my shoes and a smile on my face. That Bush was able to
shirk his obligation with absolutely no penalty angers me. It was wrong,
and he should have paid. But he didn't. He had the right connections and
he got off scot free. Another reason this was "papered over" is that, had
it been publicized, his commanding officers would have been seen as guilty
of dereliction of duty in not dealing with the situation according to
established military regulations.

Two more points:
1. Bush was mustered out as a 1st Lt. As a normal matter of course, just
serving the necessary time-in-grade and having no major black marks in their
records, all National Guard pilots were awarded the rank of Captain a year
prior to completing their 6 year obligation. That Bush did not speaks
volumes and should have been a "red flag".
2. In spite of Bush's flagrant disregard/violation of military regulations,
he received an Honorable Discharge (which cheapens mine and the
accomplishments of all who have received one). This is one of the strongest
"talking points" used by his supporters.

We can bemoan the fact, and wail and gnash our teeth, but there's no way
(that I know of) that this wrong can be righted. I won't "get over it", but
I can move on. We can publicize this as much as possible, but he will never
be brought up on criminal charges over it. Periodically someone discovers
www.awolbush.com for the first time and thinks "Aha!". Well, I'm glad you
learned about it. Go tell others, for whatever that's worth. But don't
think you will ever see Bush in a court of law, military or civilian,
because of this. The only small, faint hope we have is the court of public
opinion.


I send this out every time it comes up on the web. Maybe somewhere it will
get some traction. Feel free to use any or all of this, with or without
attribution.

At the time I joined the guard (1963), my unit was in dire need of pilots.
I heard about their pilot training program and just walked in off the
street. I took a 4 hour Air Force Officer Qualification Test (AFOQT,
basically the old Stanine general intelligence test) and another four hour
Flight Aptitude test. I passed both, although I don't remember what a
passing grade was. I do remember that 8 or 10 of us were taking the tests
and only 2 of us passed. While my test papers and applications were
forwarded to National Guard Bureau in Washington for processing and
approval, the FBI ran a security check on me. A few weeks later I was
notified that all preparations were complete and that I could present myself
at the monthly drill week-end for swearing in with a temporary commission as
a 2nd Lt. No boot camp, no nuthin'. The temporary commission was to become
permanent upon my successful completion of pilot training.

A few months later, my unit secured a slot for me in a USAF pilot training
class. It was a 55 week program. When I was awarded my wings, I returned
to Birmingham, AL (106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 117th Wing, 187th
Group, Alabama Air National Guard) and 90 days of active-duty-for-training
to check out in our unit's aircraft, the RF-84/F. I then completed my 6
year obligation and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain.
Massey Lambard
Foley, AL

AWOL? Deserter? Here are the FACTS.

Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ucmj.htm#802.%20ART.%202.%20PERSONS%20SUBJECT%20TO%20THIS%20CHAPTER

802. ART. 2. PERSONS SUBJECT TO THIS CHAPTER
(3) Members of a reserve component while on inactive-duty training, but in
the case of members of the Army National Guard of the United States or the
Air National Guard of the United States only when in Federal Service.

Bush was not in Federal Service, thus not subject to UCMJ, and therefore not
AWOL or a deserter under UCMJ.

However, from the Texas Code of Military Justice, which Bush "may have
been" (see below) subject to says:
Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. § 432.130. Desertion
(a) A member of the state military forces is guilty of desertion if the
member:
(1) without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization, or
place of duty with intent to remain away permanently;
(2) quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid
hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or
(3) without being regularly separated from one of the state military forces,
enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another of the state
military forces, or in one of the armed forces of the United States, without
fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated.
(b) A commissioned officer of the state military forces who, after tender of
his resignation and before notice of its acceptance, quits his post or
proper duties without leave and with intent to remain away permanently is
guilty of desertion.
(c) A person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert shall be
punished as a court-martial directs.

Bush was certainly in violation of one or more of these sections, but notice
the law was passed in 1987, well after he was out of the guard. So far, I
can find no information as to what the law was when Bush was in the TANG.


I was a pilot in the ALAANG 1963-1972. I can find no documentation of Alaba
ma military regulations on the web, but here's what I know to be true from
personal experience:

When I joined the guard to be trained as a pilot I signed an agreement, a
"contract" if you will. Upon successful completion of USAF pilot training,
I was committed for six years of service in the Alabama Air National Guard
(ALAANG). Pilot training lasted a little over a year, so my basic
obligation was for seven years.

If I had done exactly the same thing Bush did, skipped out and not shown up
for required drills and Flight Training Periods (FTPs)
1. I would have been located/contacted (if possible) by a superior officer
on an "unofficial" level and asked about my absence. In reality, it would
have been unthinkable for me or any of my squadron-mates to just drop out of
sight without any prior communication with my squadron or wing as to a
reason for this.
2. If I had no satisfactory "unofficial" explanation I would be required to
meet with an evaluation board of senior officers to explain my actions. If
necessary, I would have been taken into custody by military police.
3. Now it gets "official" If the board found I had no acceptable excuse,
they could offer three options.
a. I could make up the missed periods, possibly by extending my
obligation.
b. If I was unwilling to do this, I could have been assigned to
"involuntary active duty" (essentially "drafted"), probably into the Army,
as a private, for a period not to exceed the balance of my obligation. At
the time, that was a ticket straight to Viet Nam.
c. If I refused, I could be sent to jail for the balance of my obligation,
probably to Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.

You can see why it was in my best interest to show up each and every time
with a shine on my shoes and a smile on my face. That Bush was able to
shirk his obligation with absolutely no penalty angers me. It was wrong,
and he should have paid. But he didn't. He had the right connections and
he got off scot free. Another reason this was "papered over" is that, had
it been publicized, his commanding officers would have been seen as guilty
of dereliction of duty in not dealing with the situation according to
established military regulations.

Two more points:
1. Bush was mustered out as a 1st Lt. As a normal matter of course, just
serving the necessary time-in-grade and having no major black marks in their
records, all National Guard pilots were awarded the rank of Captain a year
prior to completing their 6 year obligation. That Bush did not speaks
volumes and should have been a "red flag".
2. In spite of Bush's flagrant disregard/violation of military regulations,
he received an Honorable Discharge (which cheapens mine and the
accomplishments of all who have received one). This is one of the strongest
"talking points" used by his supporters.

We can bemoan the fact, and wail and gnash our teeth, but there's no way
(that I know of) that this wrong can be righted. I won't "get over it", but
I can move on. We can publicize this as much as possible, but he will never
be brought up on criminal charges over it. Periodically someone discovers
www.awolbush.com for the first time and thinks "Aha!". Well, I'm glad you
learned about it. Go tell others, for whatever that's worth. But don't
think you will ever see Bush in a court of law, military or civilian,
because of this. The only small, faint hope we have is the court of public
opinion.

[buycitgo]

28. Clift says "let's HOPE???????"

lady, you can shit in one hand and HOPE in the other.

have you forGOTTEN that it's YOUR JOB to inFORM the public of just this sort of circumstance???????///

that's BEYOND belief

HOPE???????

lord help us all

[trof]

29. I think she's doing HER part.

It's getting the attention of the lumpen that's the problem.

[buycitgo]

43. oops....sorry

didn't read story, heh

howEVER,

I spoke with her on a radio show a few weeks ago, and when I asked her if she thought the media would continue their herd mentality, and follow their thematic-storyline approach on dems, as they did to Gore four years ago, starting with the ANGRY meme.

she said the dems ARE too angry, and need to leaven their image!

gee, Eleanor, what about the EIGHT years of angry white men, followed by the year going after Gore?

was very disappointed in her answer

[SoCalDem]

35. Amnesia is a Bush Family trait

Poppy cannot remember where he was when Kennedy was killed (he was seen in Dallas that day )


Poppy cannot remember the series of events when he bailed out on his crew in WWII , leaving them to die..


Poppy could not remember much about the Iran Contra scheme..


Junior could not remember much about the insider trading event and whether or not the papers were filed on time.. (they were NOT)

Junior cannot remember where he was during his "deserter" period..

[BigBadDaddy-O]

23. I like it, I like it, Ilike it.

way to go Newsweek!

[DrBB]

24. "In fairness" is TOO fair

In fairness, Bush has been candid about why he enlisted in the Air National Guard. Like many young men of his generation, he wanted to avoid Vietnam. He told one reporter, "I was not prepared to shoot my eardrum out with a shotgun in order to get a deferment. Nor was I willing to go to Canada. So I chose to better myself by learning how to fly airplanes."

Okay, so here's the deal. If you were a PRO-war guy, which the Twerp was, then having daddy pull strings to get you soft duty is HYPOCRISY. It may be understandable hypocrisy, and it may be forgiveable in one with no pretensions to elected office, and no bellicose intentions toward other countries. But it is NOT forgiveable in a *president of the United States who has cultivated a following made up of people who profess to despise "draft dodging hippies" and who has originated a "doctrine" of invading other countries on whatever whim strikes his fancy.

Lots of people avoided service; not all of them were chickenhawks. The distinction is clear enough. No "in fairness" about it.

[kentuck]

26. When I was in the service, from 1 to 31 days was AWOL..beyond that..

one was considered a deserter...This was before a trial or court martial. Have those definitions changed?

[GOPBasher]

31. It's finally going mainstream!

Awesome. :)

[Pathwalker]

33. It actually led the late night news here on Friday.

Michael Moore was in East Lansing, Mi. , appearing to a packed house(3,000) and they had film that started with Mike saying "George Bush was AWOL..." Okay, it was late on Friday night, but IT LED the news. After the piece was done, I switched channels to see what the conservative viewpoint was going to be.

It was like they were describing two different events! The conservative channel had him on tape dissing his own endorsement of Clark!!! Mike ACTUALLY said "It's not like I'm prognosticator - I've only chosen one candidate who's won - Clinton in '92". But they spun it into him dissing Clark! NOTHING about AWOL, not a word.

I've actually shut up 2 conservative vets by telling them about this, and I'm praying for it to gain even more traction!

[doc03]

41. Was on Crossfire Friday

Paul Bagala brought the subject up on crossfire Friday, Novak wouldn't even make a comment on it.

[nwstrn]

36. NYT has a story also

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/01/politics/campaign/01CND-CAMP.html?hp

"Mr. Bush was in the Air National Guard in Texas from 1972 to 1973, but he did not appear for duty from May to November 1972, when he was working as the campaign manager for Winton M. Blount, a Republican Senate candidate in Alabama."



But this sentence doesn't make sense:

"A National Guard official and Mr. Bush's spokesmen have said he made up the missed dates, as Guard regulations allow."

A member of the National Guard could simply disappear for several months, during the Vietnam War? I find that remarkable. Wouldn't a majority of National Guard members have taken advantage of this policy for some free vacation?

[trof]

39. Read carefully my rather lengthy reply #22.

And welcome to DU.
:hi:

[JasonDeter]

38. Its too bad bush* didn't go to Vietnam, It would have made him into a man.

But he didn't and now he's just a weasle.

[Malva Zebrina]

45. he was probably never anything more than a weasel

and it probably does not matter a whit to him. Remember his "who cares what you think" retort? He has survived in spite of his slimey , little weaselness and is a very rich man to boot.

His children will never worry or fear for their own survival and have lived a life of entitlement and priveledge as he did on blood money and on slimey transactions.

Neither will he, nor his dullassed, lazy, librarien for two years,



Stepford wife ever have to fear for their own medical care, prescription drugs or anything else in their fragile, vulnerable senior years.

He, this stupid man, did not earn this, BTW. He inherited it.

He did not pull himself up by his bootstraps as most conservatives demand of others--in fact he has done , reportedly, everything that is despicable for a person to do in their lifetime--DUI, alcoholism,AWOL and

he is a mass murderer now, lying his way into Iraq to kill all of those innocent people and ;most likely, given his propensity to gloat over the power he can have over the life and death of people, smirking over it.

Yes, he is evil.

Yet, he will retire from the White House in luxury. He and his first frump, and his two spoiled brats will never have to fear for their survival due solely to his birth name and nothing more. NOne of them have inherited an "intelligence" gene.

He is a despicable, warmongering, criminal and will benefit immensly, monetarily from these two wars he waged using the youth of America as his pawns-

this ignorant and stupid man will actually retire, whether he gets elected for another term or not, on the money he made by killing thousands of innocent people using the boys and girls of the desperate class of American people who could not afford any other way to enter college or some other desperate need in order to survive or support a family--and he will go on to be lauded in history books by those pundits who are equally as evil as he.

May this puny little prick never sleep another night in his life--may he be haunted by the screams of those he murdered--over and over and over. May those screams continue on into daylight and may his lazy minded subservient wife who serves him and supports him with appearances that bring in money to his bank accounts, also hear those screams and see those anguished faces, of the mothers and fathers who hold their dead children in their arms , screaming and wailing in terrible grief.

May they both, both of these superficial, shallow poor excuses for human beings, be haunted for the rest of their lives with these apparitions--everywhere on those 1,600 acres of Texas scrub brush. May every wind howling in every storm scream out to them both with the screams of little children they killed all on lies , in order to preserve their wealth and position and power.

[Kimber Scott]

51. Amen. n/t

[Dr Fate]

52. It would make him less of a hypocrite, but no less a man...

...no one said people who refuse to go to war are not men.

The problem is that almost all able-bodied Republicans refuse to serve while supporting war as first resort...

...it's a true now as it was for Bush and his admin...

[Beaker]

54. a dead man, most likely.

he was the type that would have been made a lieutenant by daddies friends, fallen apart under combat, and been fragged by his own troops.
why do you think daddy got him leap-frogged past 500+ others on the TANG sign-up list...??

[cmd]

44. Did you see Novak on Capital Gang 1/31/04?

The discussion was about Kerry's Vietnam service and its impact on the campaign. Here are two clips from the transcript:


NOVAK: But as a matter of fact, the Republicans look at him. He votes against all these -- these spending proposals. He was a
Vietnam protester who threw away his ribbons. He was a -- he's got a 95 percent average liberal voting record that say this guy ought to be as easy as Dukakis. He was Dukakis's lieutenant governor. But he's not Dukakis! And he's frustrating because he is -- he is a war hero, which George W. Bush certainly is not. And it is a frustrating thing on how you get a handle on him. I know this is what the Republicans are talking about. How do we -- how do we say that he is weak on national security, when you have ads like that showing him as not a -- not a war wimp but a war hero? SHIELDS: Kate O'Beirne, is Bob Novak right?



NOVAK: See, the problem -- the problem is one of -- one of -- one of George Bush's supporters told me off the record -- I mean, not for quotation -- that the problem that the president has is he was drinking beer in Alabama when this guy was -- was fighting in the war.

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0401/31/cg.00.html

[Stephanie]

47. Yeah, that would be a problem, Bob

Jesus. WHY is this guy on the air? Traitor, violent assailant, village idiot.

Send this to Kerry:

NOVAK: See, the problem -- the problem is one of -- one of -- one of George Bush's supporters told me off the record -- I mean, not for quotation -- that the problem that the president has is he was drinking beer in Alabama when this guy was -- was fighting in the war.

[Beetwasher]

48. Kick

Just for the hell of it...

[Wapsie B]

53. Thank you

once again Peter Jennings. The story that I thought would not see the light of day in the mainstream press is alive and well. This is good. If it's in Newsweek, it lends credibility to Joe & Mary Sixpack.