Ok DUers, let's be informed about the AWOL charge

[jpgray]

Go to the national treasure The Daily Howler to get a summary of the facts about AWOL, especially the "torn document" that somewhat mitigates the "year absent" claim.

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh020504.shtml

How simple are the facts in this case? Let’s review. There is little evidence that Bush served from May 1972 through May 1973—unless you accept that “torn document.” (The New York Times does. So does ABC.) From May through November 1972, Bush was living in Alabama. But two superiors have said that he didn’t show up for duty in the Alabama Guard. After that, Bush returned to Houston. But on May 2, 1973, Bush’s superiors at Ellington air base declined to fill out his annual evaluation, saying he’d been absent the previous year. But according to the 2000 Bush campaign, that mysterious “torn document” supports the claim that Bush served regularly starting in November 1972. If you accept the crucial torn document, Bush’s problem is fairly minor. But if the torn document isn’t OK, Bush likely missed a whole year.

In short, this case turns on that famous “torn document.” But incredibly, we haven’t seen a single news org refer to the document all week! Some news orgs have disregarded its validity, thereby saying that Bush missed a year. Others have accepted the document (without describing its shortcomings), thereby telling a less damaging story. But no one has actually described the torn document, or explained why they accept or reject it. Result? Contradictory accounts of the facts float around. And the public isn’t told why this is.

Now, take a look at what appears to be the complete torn document, at Calpundit:

http://www.calpundit.com/archives/003220.html



Bush's record shows three years of service, followed by a fourth year in which he accumulated only a dismal 22 days of active service, followed by no service at all in his fifth and sixth years. This is because ARF duty (disciplinary duty) isn't counted as official duty by the Texas guard.

So Bush may indeed have "fulfilled his obligation," as he says, but only because he had essentially been relieved of any further obligation after his transfer to ARF. It's pretty clear that no one in the Texas Air National Guard had much interest in pursuing anything more serious in the way of disciplinary action.

If anyone else has any info, please feel free to deposit it here.