Bush met military obligation [Bush Was At Alabama Base, Says Ex-Guardsman ]

The Birmingham News ^ | 02/11/04 | MARY ORNDORFF and BRETT J. BLACKLEDGE

[Hon]

Bush met military obligation, aide says

02/11/04MARY ORNDORFF and BRETT J. BLACKLEDGE
News staff writers

A White House spokesman said Tuesday that President Bush worked enough days as a member of the Texas Air National Guard in 1972 and 1973 to fulfill his annual training requirements, but new payroll records he released also show a five-month gap while Bush was assigned to a small reserve unit in Montgomery.

Bush did not receive military pay from May to September of 1972, according to the documents, and the former commander of the 9921st Air Reserve Squadron said Tuesday that Bush didn't show up during those months.

"He never did come to my squad," said retired Lt. Col. Reese Bricken, who lives in Montgomery. "He was never at my unit."

Bricken reviewed documents Tuesday showing Bush's transfer request to his squadron and his response to the request. He said he remembered sending approval back for him to serve in the small unit, made up of reserve members who met weekly.

"He was looking for a place to hang his hat, but he never came by," Bricken said.

Although the president's spokesman talked Tuesday about how the newly discovered payroll records show that Bush satisfied his annual training duties, a specific request to explain the time Bush was with the 9921st was not answered.

The documents give a date-by-date rundown of Bush's pay history as a first lieutenant in the Texas Air National Guard, including May to November of 1972, when he was in Alabama working on a political campaign. The White House, at Bush's request, released the records to answer charges from Democrats that he skirted his military obligations.

"The president recalls serving both when he was in Texas and when he was in Alabama," White House press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters. "And we have provided you these documents that show clearly that the president of the United States fulfilled his duties. And that is the reason that he was honorably discharged from the National Guard. The president was proud of his service."

The White House says the records are proof that Bush adequately performed his duty as a guardsman because records show he accumulated 56 points toward his retirement in both 1972-73 and 1973-74, above the minimum requirement of 50 points.

"These records reflect that he met his requirements, both in point summaries and that he was paid for the days in which he served," McClellan said.

Worked for Blount:

The records show Bush was paid in the first four months of 1972 for 30 days of military service apparently completed in Texas. But in May, he asked permission to train in Alabama because he was going to work as political director for Winton "Red" Blount's 1972 campaign for the U.S. Senate. His first transfer was approved to the 9921st Air Reserve Squadron, a 22-man postal unit on Maxwell Air Force Base.

The 9921st squadron met every Tuesday night to review military materials, including things like first aid manuals. Unit members were no longer in the active military and did not earn pay for their work.

The meetings helped the reservists earn points toward their retirement. The unit had no way of helping an active guard member meet his training obligations, Bricken said.

Bush's assignment to the 9921st was withdrawn months later because his superiors pointed out it was not part of a combat-ready Guard unit and did not perform work equivalent to what Bush's training regimen as a pilot required. So in September, Bush applied to the 187th Tactical Recon Group, also in Montgomery, according to a Sept. 5, 1972, letter. The three-month transfer was approved.

Bush's pay records, as provided to the White House by the Defense Financing Accounting Service, pick back up soon after, with paychecks covering two days in October and four days in November.

The election, in which Blount lost handily to U.S. Sen. John Sparkman, was Nov. 7 that year.

Although the payroll records show Bush getting paid for service in Alabama in October and November, a commander of the 187th said Tuesday that he didn't remember the young Texas pilot. At the time, according to a Montgomery newspaper report in 1972, the 187th had about 800 members.

"I don't remember him showing up, and I think I would have remembered it because I spent my career in Texas, have a big tie to it," said retired Gen. William Turnipseed. However, Turnipseed, who is in his 70s, said it is possible that he wouldn't remember since it was more than 30 years ago.

A letter from that time said Bush was to report to Turnipseed, but the former commander said he wasn't aware of the letter until a reporter contacted him during the 2000 presidential campaign. After national news organizations bantered Turnipseed's name around in 2000, he was contacted by old unit members. None of them mentioned remembering Bush, he said.

However, Turnipseed said Bush was not under an obligation to report and could miss drills with the 187th as long as he made up enough points in the year to fulfill his obligation.

"You know, probably, rules were a little looser back then than they are now. If you go in the Guard now, you are going to end up in Iraq," Turnipseed said.

Turnipseed said he is a Bush supporter.

"I'm fed up," he said. "People want me to give them something to bash Bush."

`Very active':

Joe LeFevers, a member of the 187th in 1972, said he remembers seeing Bush in unit offices and being told that Bush was in Montgomery to work on Blount's campaign.

"I was going in the orderly room over there one day, and they said, `This is Lt. Bush,'" LeFevers said Tuesday. "They pointed him out to me ... the reason I remember it is because I associate him with Red Blount."

Red Blount's son, Winton Blount III, said Bush was the campaign's deputy manager and spent a lot of time in Birmingham and north Alabama.

"He was a very active part of that campaign," said Blount. "And as my aunt said, she hoped people would act as nice in other people's homes as he did."

News staff writers Kim Chandler, Stan Bailey and Tom Gordon contributed to this report.

[Hon]

Thanks to Brig. Gen. Turnipseed for forwarding me this story.

[kcvl]

Thank you for calling him!

[Ronin]

It's good to see the real vets coming out to support Bush. The guys who knew him.

Kerry is going to be in hurt city. Especially with the words from Bush's fellow pilot starting to get out.

[3catsanadog]

Maybe the reason more folks don't remember Bush in the Guard is that they are afraid the Dem's will send hit men to mess their heads up so bad, they'll end up vegetables in a nursing home, wearing diapers.

[Hon]

"However, Turnipseed said Bush was not under an obligation to report and could miss drills with the 187th as long as he made up enough points in the year to fulfill his obligation.

"You know, probably, rules were a little looser back then than they are now. If you go in the Guard now, you are going to end up in Iraq," Turnipseed said.

Turnipseed said he is a Bush supporter.

"I'm fed up," he said. "People want me to give them something to bash Bush."

++++++

That is exactly what he told me.

[ambrose]

These treasonous scumbag Democrats have probably done more to unite the wavering Republicans annoyed by amnesty and medicare than Bush/Rove ever could have on their own.

[ambrose]

Interesting how they bury the eyewitness account.

[EGPWS]

On the service issues, politically, Bush 10, Kerry maybe 2 and the campaign hasn't even started yet for Dubya!

[KQQL]

lol...u are so right..

[KC_Conspirator]

You know that I have been quite ambivalent about Bush since the amnesty and the spending, but I am furious over this smear by the dems and the press. I am actually doing work for the party again because of it.

[Terry Mross]

I think Bush has out smarted them once again. He always gives them just enough rope to hang themselves. I hope McCauliff and Kerry and Moore and Cleland keep it up. Most of the liberal democrats already know the truth because their boy PETAH JENNINGS gave it to them when he nailed Clark. Cleland and his bunch are shouting to the wind.

[Hon]

"Interesting how they bury the eyewitness account."

Isn't it, though? Even in Alabama. Sheesh!

[Hon]

I wish I had worded the headline better--but this is really the final nail in the coffin of this story.

There is now a WITNESS.

[ambrose]

you can ask the Mod to change the title...

[cat lover too]

Thanks for posting this. But let me get this straight, they asked for a live witness for days now, here you find a live witness who saw him there, and it ends up in the last paragraph. The first few paragraphs are still misleading to me.

[McGavin999]

YOOOOHOOOOO! Howlin....over here!

[backhoe]

Cross-linking once again-

-The Real Military Record of George W. Bush: Not Heroic, but Not AWOL, Either-The Original Story--

[Steel and Fire and Stone]

I was USNR for 11 years (plus active duty), and left as a Commander. I've elaborated at length about this previously, so I'll just mention a few things:

• Things were "looser" in the 60's and 70's. In the 80's (my era), the Navy changed requirements to both quarterly AND annual. Resevists could post-phone drills a maximum of 90 days, i.e. scheduling 3 months into one weekend. The reason for the change was the common practice during Bush's era of stacking six months, even a year into one period of service (i.e. 2 weeks or a month of drills during summer, at the same time they did their annual 2-week duty.).

• Navy Reserve pilots at Miramar Naval Air Station (now USMC) routinely drilled six days (i.e. "12" drills) once a quarter, when I had duty there. They told me it was the "only sensible way to get our quals in", because (a) they were airline pilots, and had the week to give up, and lived 1500 miles away from the Air Station, and (b) because getting training and hours on the aircraft was easier for the Active duty Command to schedule a week at a time.

Maybe those are Bush's reasons, or maybe he missed some drills. That was 30 years ago, and I have to assume that if his C.O.(s) allowed it, and he was honorably discharged, then he was NOT AWOL.

I myself drilled with a unit in Texas during a time when my Company required me to work there. It was either permanent transfer for 2-3 months, quit the USNR, or do TDY with this unit. I don't remember which one it was, they don't remember me, and I'd be hard pressed to prove by documentary evidence that I was there in 1986.

During my last year in the USNR, at my last Command, I drilled in Washington part of the time, meeting with Pentagon-type brass, with my unit part of the time, and at other meetings the rest of the year. My own unit saw me about 1/3 of the year (i.e. I had a good X.O. to back me up), but the result of my time away from the unit was 12 months of the best training the guys could get .. they were always doing "real-world" training with active duty units.

The Reserves and Guard works all sorts of deals for the right guy, more so in the 60's and 70's, but still to day, if it benefits the Service. If Bush was a problem child, he'd wouldn't have been in a jet, let alone allowed "detached" or TDY duty. That's something you "earn".

SFS

[GeronL]

Thank Mr... General Turnipseed for his service to our country, then and now!

[Monkey King]

I met Red Blount many years ago - during his funding splurge for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (quick side note: he not only provided funds to build the complex, he donated his back yard to build it in!) He struck me as an extraordinarily intelligent man - not one who would abide an idiot or shirker working on any project he headed up.

This "story" is as it has always been: pure garbage.

[RottiBiz]

Thanks, Hon!

You've done a fantastic job tying up the loose ends.

[Dog]

The Rats don't realize what they have done.......they have energized Bush's base and given us a cause...there are hundreds of Freepers searching archives and using search engines to find old Kerry quotes and photos.

This is called blowback and Kerry is about to get hit with a whole shitload.

[Miss Marple]

No, kidding, Dog! You are exactly right!

I am also looking.

[bamabaseballmom]

"Interesting how they bury the eyewitness account."
But not surprising. The Birmingham News is a pathetic NYT wannabe.

[GailA]

Unit members were no longer in the active military and did not earn pay for their work.

Brig Gen Turnipseed needs to go on Hannity's radio show or FNC and maybe write an op ed piece for the Wash Times to get this crap cleared up once and for all.

[rintense]

Well, McAwful's strategy failed. He dared to try and compare Kerry's service to Bush's. In doing that, McAwful knew he needed to bring up the guard service AT THE SAME TIME Kerry touted his service in Vietnam. Unfortunately, the 'war hero versus weekend warrior' strategy failed, just like it did in 2000. Even better, Kerry began to back away from his bombastic claims this week because he knew his own protesting effort after his tour would come back to haunt him.

In the end, Bush wins- again.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

"You know, probably, rules were a little looser back then than they are now. If you go in the Guard now, you are going to end up in Iraq," Turnipseed said.

. . . because the military was downsized so dramatically in the previous maladminstration.

As the regulars units spun off people who had taken on military obligations, the National Guard obviously should have expanded . But I guess it actually didn't? That would have cost money, and treated military people better in the process.

Does it strike anyone else that Bush would have made a more memorable imprint on National Guardsmen if he had gone around bragging about GHW Bush's connections??

It strikes me that Bush wasn't trying to make a splash there.
Then again, Republican politicians in the South back then had even more to be humble about than Democrats in the South do now! Democrats now at least have memories of getting elected . . .

[Fury]

Good post.

I noted this in the original article:

The 9921st squadron met every Tuesday night to review military materials, including things like first aid manuals. Unit members were no longer in the active military and did not earn pay for their work.

*Sort* of sounds like what we had in the Army Reserve called "admin drills". Happened on 2 Tuesday nights per months (our paid drill was usually 1 Sunday per month and 2 Tuesdays per month).

The admin drills were unpaid drill time (8-10 hours per month - sometimes more). You did not have to technically attend, but officers and Senior NCO folks stated if they did not, it could hurt them at review and promotion time.

Then the Army National Guard unit in the same town had a good idea by encouraging folks to transfer to the Guard, and making a point of no admin drills. Several folks left the reserve unit.

Of course, that was in the late 80's, and as you state, it's a whole different thing now...

[Hon]

"But let me get this straight, they asked for a live witness for days now, here you find a live witness who saw him there, and it ends up in the last paragraph."

I didn't find him. But maybe you mean I found it in this story.

If that's what you mean, I agree. It is amazing that what should be the top news story of the day has been buried in this story without hardly any reference.

But reporters aren't too bright as a rule.

[Hon]

Yes, you have said what others have said, including Turnipseed. He touched on some of it in this article, too.

BTW, could you answer a question on this? When they say the current records show nine days, do they mean nine pay days? Were the drills nine days or nine periods--which could be longer?

Just curious.

[MizSterious]

Unfortunately, I'm still hearing the same old "no one remembers him" mantra on network news, both television and radio. Something needs to be done to make sure the truth is reported.

[alnick]

I don't see what the significance of a five-month gap is since Lt. Bush was required to earn 50 points and he earned 56. Requirements surpassed, case closed.

[Just mythoughts]

Finally, after 4 years of lies and smears the truth gets out.

Maybe you can get Mr. Rassmann to forward you his military records. He says he is a "NEWS" junkie and he did make himself part of this campaign. He claims Kerry is honest.

[Hon]

"Finally, after 4 years of lies and smears the truth gets out."

The truly sad thing is that this story is being buried in the media--look where it is in the article.

And it is being buried here. Drudge might be posting something! Did you see the (fake) photo Newsmax lifted?

It's really pathetic.

[OldFriend]

Honest about slandering all our troops in Viet Nam? Did Rassman too commit atrocities against innocent civilians?

[Just mythoughts]

No, I am not interested in "fake" stuff from either side.

I believe only "TRUTH" sets one free. I have been hesitant about questioning the veracity of Rassmann. That is the reason why I read through only "published" articles telling the "JFKERRY" story. I sat in disbelief of his own words as I saw him interviewed and his appearance on stage.

It was only after President Bush was called a "deserter" being AWOL and demanding his records, and JFKERRY to demand "BRING-IT-ON", did I start to see where in the "public" record of the time for Mr. Rassmann story and/or name.

The whole drama and the way it unfolded did not add up. JFKerry knows what is in the public domain, he also knows what is not there.

I have no issue with the "truth" just have not satisfied myself that what we have been told is "truth". I find it interesting how little has been written, or investigated about the Rassmann event by the media. Yes they have interview him but demanded no records to verify what he said.

[Hon]

"I find it interesting how little has been written, or investigated about the Rassmann event by the media. Yes they have interview him but demanded no records to verify what he said."

I'm with you. And it's not like Kerry hasn't been prominent for the last thirty years. Heck, why didn't Rassmann get in touch with him after he was on Meet The Press or Dick Cavett or after his Senate Testimoney--all done back in 1971?

Kerry ran for the Presidency four years ago. Where was Rassmann then?

I think it's a bit fishy too.

[Puddleglum]

I think this low-blow attack is going to backfire on the Dims big time. I think everyday Americans see it for what it is - gutter politics. Heck, I disagree with Bush on some issues but this raises my hackles and makes me jump to his defense. I'm sure a lot of average joes feel the same way too.

[Just mythoughts]

I won't be buying the Brinkley book, but will make a trip out to see if he tells where he got his information.

That seems to be the first recorded description of this event.

Thank for your well searched information. You have done an honorable job.

[GeronL]

Kerry cheating??

looks like Kerry got carried away with an intern

[lepton]

There is now a WITNESS.

As I recall there were at least two in 2000. Whether a third came forward was a bit ambiguous.

[mountaineer]

Facts About Reserve Are AWOL From Media Coverage

Former Naval Reserve officer says many journalists are making uninformed comments about military service.

By Gene J. Koprowski

(February 11, 2004) -- Even after the White House released some of President Bush's pay records from the early 1970s, portions of the record of his military service are apparently missing. This, some in the press have averred, is suspicious. Someone powerful must be covering up something nefarious here.

Well, as a former Naval Reserve officer, I have to smile. The reality is that the guard and reserves are very flexible when it comes to scheduling drills -- especially for commissioned officers with needed skills -- and that reserve soldiers and sailors routinely make up drill dates during a particular fiscal year.

If they cannot make up the drills, but have properly notified their commanding officers, in advance of their drill weekends, they simply finish the fiscal year without the minimum amount of points.

Does this mean that they were "AWOL," (absent without leave)? Far from it. Rather, it means that they will simply have a harder time accumulating the required total points to retire with a military pension as a reservist.

During my time in the reserves, I recall officers and enlisted personnel routinely missing weekend drills, and rescheduling them, either on their own time, or by stacking them together the next month as a four-day drill weekend, or even by adding them to their two-week annual training tour.

The other thing that anyone who has ever been in the reserves or guard will tell you is that the individual member is alone responsible for keeping his service record in order. Many reserve officers have been passed over for promotion during the years because the Pentagon lost papers attesting to their duty stations, or medals, or performance evaluations, known as fitness reports, or FITREPS.

The Navy Reserve's own Web site even advises those who are close to a promotion to send copies of their official records to the promotion board!

So, to make an issue out of the fact that some records in the president's service record are missing is to make an uninformed comment. It does not reflect the reality that the soldiers and sailors who serve every month face.

An issue has also been made that Mr. Bush was not given a rating because he was "not observed" during a particular drill period.

This is taking military language -- and mangling it. Not observed is a common recommendation on fitness reports for personnel, also known as NOB. It means simply that someone served less than a year in a particular unit, and, if someone serves a short stint, regulations do not require the commanding officer to issue a detailed report of the soldier or sailor's performance during that period. It does not mean that no one saw him or observed him on base.

Usually, it is the military that is mocked for making a mess of the English language. But it looks like the press is doing a pretty good job of it with this. That's just my observation. I'd have to say the true facts about life in the reserves, and some much-needed perspective, are what have been AWOL from many of the media's articles on this important story.

---

Gene J. Koprowski covers science and technology for UPI from Chicago and is and a former U.S. Naval Reserve officer.

http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/columns/shoptalk_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2088668

[EdoTerglav]

One cannot be AWOL while a reserve or Guardsman in a drill status. One is meeting the required number of drills (one weekend per month and two weeks active duty training some time during the year) or he is not. If one is in an unsatisfactory drilling status, the commanding officer of the drilling reservist or Guardsman can notify the individual that he will be separated from the service after 12 unexcused drills. Once notified, the individual can make up the unexcused drills and return to a satisfactory drilling status. (Thanks to Major Michael C. Griffin USMCR, of Charlotte, N.C., for reminding me of this.)

From Mackubin Thomas Owens on NRO

[Free Vulcan]

I love the smell of blowback in the morning.

Smells like....victory.

[Steel and Fire and Stone]

BTW, could you answer a question on this? When they say the current records show nine days, do they mean nine pay days? Were the drills nine days or nine periods--which could be longer?

My experience was dated to the 80's, and Navy, not Texas National Guard, but the procedures were probably identical. One "drill" was 4 hours (or half a day). So, in a typical "weekend drill", a reservist would get 4 drill credits. The records documented how many drills you did, i.e. 50 per year was the minium for a "good year", i.e. a year creditable towards retirement. You'd get 1 drill credit per actual day of active duty, so you'd also get 12 to 14 drills for your annual "Active Duty for Training". By the way, the "admin drills" some speak of were essentially non-pay "freebees". Every hour you were "on duty" for the Naval Reserve, you were supposed to record "drills", for legal liability and retirement purposes. At retirement, 1 drill=1 day, and 365 days = 1 year toward retirement. So, when actual "retirement" payments are calculated, a Reservists is paid on the same pay schedule, except it's prorated for actual "days" (i.e. Active Duty days + drill days) served. So, a guy with say, 8 years active duty, who then transfers over to the Reserve, and finishes 30 years, might actually end up with about 12 years of retirement pay (i.e. 8 years, plus an average of 60 drills per year, times 22 years, divided by 365).

Now that you're quite bored by this discussion, remember one thing: When the media talks about drills Bush did or didn't do, they are talking about retirement points, not legal service requirements! Missed drills can be excused. Drills can be rescheduled. Drills can be done off site. And, remember this: Add 1 weekend a month (4 drills) times 12, plus two weeks (12 days) active duty equals 60 drills, plus 15 more points gratis for just serving, makes the average points per reservist 75. Only 50 are required. So, Bush could have had "good years" at 50 points, missing a bunch of drills. Or, he might have done 3 weeks Active Duty for a school, or something else. All these details are a S-M-O-K-E --- S-C-R-E-E-N, to innoculate Kerry about the charges certain to come regarding his treasonous actions AFTER leaving the Navy. Every time a Democrat leader has a "morals" problem of some type, they attack an honorable Republican leader for doing something worse.

Get the pattern; this is not about Bush, this is about Kerry's own shame.

Again, few, very few military officers would write themselves up for a cut finger received while opening an ammo pouch during a fire fight, or for shrappnel picked out by the medic with tweasers. EVEN FEWER would complain "I got three owwwees, can I go home now..??", leaving their boat crew to face the VC with a far less experienced leader. I wouldn't have. NO officer I served with would have. I may have cowered with fear the whole time (River patrol duty was nearly the nastiest duty in the Navy during that war), but I couldn't have walked out on my guys. (Annidote: My reserve unit was re-called to active duty two months after I left for Desert Shield/Storm. I voluteered to return to my old position, but the C.O. thought my relief had enough time and experience to do the job. I'm not some "wierd" patriot. I had two small babies I couldn't bear to leave, but I had my crew to think of.)

Only true "whackos" would travel to Saigon as a Junior Officer to talk to the Theater Commander, OVER AND ABOVE HIS CHAIN OF COMMAND! Kerry had a geninely high estimation of himself. The only officers who jetted into the war zone, switch jobs from tedious ship board duty to a fun "beach job", and then rotated out of combat six months early, were the "perfumed princes" who were there to punch their ticket, and then go on to bigger and better (i.e. political) things. As a former Navy Officer, I resent Kerry, and everything he stood for. Kerry's a hero?? Well, so was the Oaklahome terrorist McVay, and Gen. Benedict Arnold too!

This whole garbage about Bush being AWOL is Michael Moores personal creation. What has Moore ever done that deserves the least bit of credibility? Compared to Bush, Moore belongs in the loony bin.

SFS

[Hon]

"This whole garbage about Bush being AWOL is Michael Moores personal creation."

Actually Moore is the one to bring up the "deserter" canard.

But the whole story is the creation of (a convicted libeler) by the name of Walter V. Robinson of the Boston Globe.

[Darlin']

"Joe LeFevers, a member of the 187th in 1972, said he remembers seeing Bush in unit offices and being told that Bush was in Montgomery to work on Blount's campaign. "I was going in the orderly room over there one day, and they said, `This is Lt. Bush,'" LeFevers said Tuesday. "They pointed him out to me ... the reason I remember it is because I associate him with Red Blount." Red Blount's son, Winton Blount III, said Bush was the campaign's deputy manager and spent a lot of time in Birmingham and north Alabama. "He was a very active part of that campaign," said Blount. "And as my aunt said, she hoped people would act as nice in other people's homes as he did."

Hon, thank you so much for all of your hard work on this story. You've been on top of it from the start. :)

In additon to fulfilling his Guard committment, young Lt Bush worked hard in the campaign and charmed the good folks in Alabama with his lovely manners. hehe. Ain't life suh-weet ?

[Lady In Blue]

Another witness ping!

[deport]

Thanks.... I heard today that John Kerry served in Vietnam and got some kind of a medal which he threw away.......