Do the Democrats Really Want to Talk About This?

USA Today via Powerline Blog ^ | Feb. 16, 2004 | Power Line Blog

[TheMole]

We posted yesterday on the fact that the Democrats' groundless attack on President Bush's National Guard service may have the unintended effect of informing voters of the fact that Bush was, in fact, an excellent fighter pilot--a fact that has not been widely known.

USA Today has published lengthy extracts from the President's National Guard records; reader Ruth Solomon has performed the valuable service of transcribing the highlights of the PDF files that are available online.

In both 1971 and 1972, the President received top-notch evaluations, with most of his ratings in the highest category possible. Here is the narrative portion of the 1971 evaluation:

Lt Bush is an exceptionally fine young officer and pilot. After completing the F102 all weather interceptor school in November 1969, he came to this unit as a highly qualified fighter interceptor pilot. Lt Bush possesses sound judgement and is mature beyond his age and experience level. During the last weapons firing deployment, he delivered both primary and secondary weapons from the F102. Lt Bush performed in an outstanding manner, following the test projects requirement set forth. He also participated in a practice element deployment during annual field training. He was easily able to handle intercepts with varying geometries and tactics selection. He continually flies intercept missions with the unit to increase his proficiency further. Lt Bush is a natural leader but he is also a good follower of military discipline. Lt Bush has outstanding growth potential and should be promoted well ahead of his contemporaries.

And this is the narrative portion for 1972:

Lt Bush is an exceptional fighter interceptor pilot and officer. He eagerly participates in scheduled unit activities. During the past year he participated in several target force deployments and an F-102 aircraft element deployment in Canada. His conduct and professional approach to the mission were clearly exemplary and apparent to observers. His skills as an interceptor pilot enabled him to complete all his ADC intercept missions during the Canadian deployment with ease.

OTHER COMMENTS: Lt Bush is very active in civic affairs in the community and manifests a deep interest in the operation of our government. He has recently accepted a position as a campaign manager for a candidate for United States Senate. He is a good representative of the military and the Air National Guard in the business world. His abilities and anticipated future assignments make him a valuable asset. He is a member of the National Guard Association of the United States and Texas.

Those last comments look pretty prescient.

[MJemison]

..not the easist plane in the world to fly..

Read it described on these boards as a "brick with fins".

[Arkie2]

So you're saying no National Guard units served in Vietnam? I wasn't aware of that.

[FairOpinion]

George W. Bush during his service with the Texas Air National Guard. Bush was a pilot from 1968 to 1973.

Undated photo from the George Bush Presidential Library shows US President George W. Bush (L) as a former Texas Air National Guard fighter pilot undergoing training.

[Kozak]

That's why he looks so relaxed and natural in that flight suit, something that enrages all the chuckleheads over at DU who wouldn't know a G suit from a G string.

Speaking as a former USAF Flight surgeon who spent his time in the F4E, 70TFS, 347 Fighter Wing. W is Sierra Hotel.

[Arkie2]

oops! 5 seconds on Google revealed this info. Looks like the Guard wasn't AWOL from the war after all!

The Air National Guard in Vietnam
(June 2000) - Air National Guard units began flying supply missions to Vietnam in 1965, and the Air Guard was mobilized twice during the Vietnam War.

Eleven squadrons were called up in January 1968 in response to the seizing of the U.S. Navy ship Pueblo by North Korea, and two tactical fighter squadrons were, the 166th (Ohio) and the 127th (Kansas) were sent to South Korea.

In May 1968 one aeromedical airservice group and two tactical fighter groups were federalized.

Four tactical fighter squadrons--the 120th (Colorado), 174th (Iowa), 188th (New Mexico), and 136th (New York)--deployed to Vietnam. And although not a Guard unit, the Guard can claim credit for a fifth squadron, the 3755th: 85 percent of this tactical fighter squadron's personnel were Air Guard volunteers from New Jersey and the District of Columbia.

The Air Force commander in Vietnam, testifying before a Senate committee, summed up the combat record of these five squadrons:

"I had ... five F-100 Air National Guard squadrons ... Those were the five best F-100 squadrons in the field. The aircrews were a little older, but they were more experienced, and the maintenance people were also more experienced than the regular units. They had done the same work on the weapon system for years, and they had stability that a regular unit doesn't have."

In addition, a large number of combat-veteran active Air Force pilots joined the Air National Guard after Vietnam. This group includes Shepperd and Maj. Gen. E. Gordon Stump, Michigan adjutant general and NGAUS president.


http://www.ngaus.org/ngmagazine/sidebar600.asp

[Aeronaut]

I don't care if you fly a Cessna 172, you've accomplished something that most would like to do, and only about 2% actually do do. To fly a military supersonic jet fighter is nothing to scoff at. To lead a nation in a war is something only about a dozen Americans have ever done. I love and fully support the President.

[billybudd]

Good call. I figure this balances out the negative spin the Democrats are trying to put on his record. Two wrongs make a right, right?

[FairOpinion]

AND LOOK WHAT I JUST FOUND!!!!!!!!

"James Earl Carter spent more time on active military duty (7 years) than any other president in the last 103 years - with the exception of Gen. Dwight Eisenhower "

And he was STILL a LOUSY President, a DISASTER in national defense and foreign policy. He allowed the Islamicists to take over Iran and take and keep our US citizens hostage for months.

Above, ladies and gentlemen is absolute proof, that having had military service doesn't, by itself, make someone Presidential material.

[Defender2]

Thanks for the F-102A photograph. This one belongs to the 57th F.I.S.(Black Knights) at Kevlavik, Iceland. This unit recored over 2000 intercepts of Soviet aircraft while flying the F-102. This photograph shows an 57th F-102 landing at it's home Keflavik runway. The 57th was the last ADCOM unit to use the F-102A/TF-102A trading them in for F-4Cs' in 1973. The F-102A/TF102A soldiered on in the NORAD/ADCOM/ANG units until the end of 1976. Thanks for the pic:-)

[B-bone]

"Lt Bush has outstanding growth potential and should be promoted well ahead of his contemporaries."

Take that man to Vegas or the track. Bet on whatever he bets on.

[FairOpinion]

And while Bush was a fighter pilot, Kerry was busy demonstrating against his own country and smearing his fellow soldiers.

[FairOpinion]

" Lt Bush is a natural leader "

===

He assessed this correctly as well.

[CSM]

Sure, you hit the nail on the head. Of course, actual dodging the draft by leaving the country is more honorable than serving in the NG. Keep drinking the kool-aid.

[DrDeb]

"Rich and politically connected found themselves enlisted in national guard as a way to avoid serving in the war at that time"


The rich and politically connected could have avoided service altogether, including service in the National Guard! And certainly, those attempting to avoid REAL service would never have volunteered to become a fighter pilot -- National Guard or otherwise!

Col William Campenni addresses this point quite eloquently:

". . . Sadly, few of today's partisan pundits know anything about the environment of service in the Reserves in the 1970s. The image of a reservist at that time is of one who joined, went off for six months' basic training, then came back and drilled weekly or monthly at home, with two weeks of "summer camp." With the knowledge that Mr. Johnson and Mr. McNamara were not going to call out the Reserves, it did become a place of refuge for many wanting to avoid Vietnam.

There was one big exception to this abusive use of the Guard to avoid the draft, and that was for those who wanted to fly, as pilots or crew members. Because of the training required, signing up for this duty meant up to 2½ years of active duty for training alone, plus a high probability of mobilization. A fighter-pilot candidate selected by the Guard (such as Lt. Bush and me) would be spending the next two years on active duty going through basic training (six weeks), flight training (one year), survival training (two weeks) and combat crew training for his aircraft (six to nine months), followed by local checkout (up to three more months) before he was even deemed combat-ready. Because the draft was just two years, you sure weren't getting out of duty being an Air Guard pilot. If the unit to which you were going back was an F-100, you were mobilized for Vietnam. Avoiding service? Yeah, tell that to those guys.

The Bush critics do not comprehend the dangers of fighter aviation at any time or place, in Vietnam or at home, when they say other such pilots were risking their lives or even dying while Lt. Bush was in Texas. Our Texas ANG unit lost several planes right there in Houston during Lt. Bush's tenure, with fatalities. Just strapping on one of those obsolescing F-102s was risking one's life."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1075896/posts

[gatorbait]

Just think,Jimmuh was not only a Naval Officer, but an Annapolis grad .
Yessiree, a real credit to the uniform.

[Defender2]

Also the 57th F.I.S. F-102A you have pictured is a late model case 20 wing. Increased wing camber to the leading edges which increased maneuverability at low speeds and also increased the service ceiling of the aircraft. good pic, thanks.:-)

[Defender2]

Thanks for the post#34, DrDeb:-)

[FairOpinion]

I think Carter just killed Kerry's bragging rights.

Serving in the military is certainly admirable, and maybe while they served they did the right thing.

BUT that alone clearly doesn't qualify one to be president.

Kerry is running on "I was in Vietname for 4 months, therefore I am qualified and deserve to be President?.

Sorry, we already had Carter with a great military record, much longer, than Kerry's and he was a terrible president.

What we need in a president is what Bush has: a vision, decisiveness, guts, and determination who puts the safety, security, and well being of our country and the people, above all else.

[DrDeb]

I think this thread merits a ping to your LIST!!!! [Pixes alone make it worth the trip!]

[gatorbait]

That Deuce is from the 57th FIS operating from Keflavik,Iceland.