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C-130 Rick Perry: He flew the world before politics
Reporter News- Abilene ^ | April 23, 2011 | Sarah Kleiner Varble

Posted on 06/27/2011 6:53:43 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

Rank: Retired as a captain

Hometown: Haskell

Crew job: C-130 aircraft commander

Served in the Air Force: 1972 to 1977

Dyess AFB tour: March 4, 1974, to Feb. 28, 1977

His story: Way back before he was governor of Texas, Rick Perry had two choices as a young member of the Air Force.

He could either follow his dream and work toward becoming an instructor pilot in the sleek T-38, or he could fly the hulking C-130, planes that affectionately were referred to as "trash haulers" by Perry and his cohorts.

"It was one of the great adventures of my life," Perry said. "I had a fairly pedestrian life until I was 23 years old."

Perry could count on one hand the number of trips he had taken out of his home state by the time he graduated from Texas A&M University, but everything changed when he joined the Air Force.

Flying C-130s, Perry lived in Germany and Saudi Arabia. He flew in Central and South America, North Africa and all over Europe.

"I saw all of these different types of governments and I made the connections to how the people acted and looked, and it became abundantly clear to me that, at that particular point in time, that America was this very unique place and that our form of democracy was very rare," Perry said. " ... That was the greatest gift I received from my years of being in the military, and they really shaped my outlook on the rest of my life."

Perry retired from the Air Force in 1977 — but not without one last adventure.....

[snip]

(Excerpt) Read more at reporternews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: military; perry; rickperry; service; wot
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To: altura
My, my, that's quite a list.

But you obviously are not aware of the correlation between 'Atta-Boy's' and 'Oh-$hit's'.

81 posted on 06/27/2011 12:17:29 PM PDT by diogenes ghost
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I remember reading that 25% of delegates to Democrat party national conventions are public school teachers


82 posted on 06/27/2011 12:20:26 PM PDT by dennisw (NZT - "works better if you're already smart")
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To: antisocial

“I have a friend that flew with Perry. He was the navigator. He said that Perry was a pretty good guy although a bit arrogant.”

You are kidding!! An arrogant pilot, who has ever heard of such a thing, who did he think he was, a surgeon or something?


83 posted on 06/27/2011 12:34:00 PM PDT by TxDas (This above all, to thine ownself be true.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

There was a post yesterday saying that Perry supported IPPF. Not one poster argued about it. You seem to be a walking fountain of Perry info, so I asked you about it. BTW, what did Perry have to say about persecuted border agents Ramos and Compean? Perry WAS governor when the atrocious miscarriage of justice took place. Bob


84 posted on 06/27/2011 12:42:34 PM PDT by alstewartfan (When you're fresh out of lawyers, you don't know how good it's gonna feel! Al Stewart)
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To: TxDas
You are kidding!! An arrogant pilot, who has ever heard of such a thing, who did he think he was, a surgeon or something?

Thanks for a good laught TxDas.

And to think they call astronauts "cowboys!" It's all too funny.

So I guess Perry's double arrogant because he flies and he's a cowboy.

85 posted on 06/27/2011 1:14:14 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: alstewartfan
The only reason I know this stuff is because I've looked it up!

Latest just out at the Houston Chronicle (and let me add that Gov Perry must call these special sessions to keep the Legislature working and not closing down for another 2 years):

"AUSTIN, Texas — Texas lawmakers have approved a massive health care bill that includes new restrictions on abortions. The measure now goes to the governor. The 185-page bill allows for new health care collaboratives that allow hospitals, doctors and insurers to work together in new ways. It also allows Texas to enter into interstate health care compacts for Medicaid. But the most controversial matters concerned new restrictions on abortions that divided Republicans.

In signing contracts to provide family planning services, the bill bans the state from working with organizations that provide elective abortions, or affiliate with those that do. An attempt to defund Planned Parenthood. The bill also cuts state funding to county hospital districts that use local tax money to finance elective abortions. Travis County is the only district that does so." Lawmakers further restrict abortions

86 posted on 06/27/2011 1:17:54 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: alstewartfan

http://wayback.archive-it.org/414/20110223073757/http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legis/billsearch/billdetails.cfm?billTypedetail=HCR&billNumberDetail=13&legSession=81-0


87 posted on 06/27/2011 1:32:57 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: antisocial
... He said that Perry was a pretty good guy although a bit arrogant. ...

As Tom Skerrit said in Top Gun -- "I like that in a pilot".

88 posted on 06/27/2011 1:47:21 PM PDT by ken in texas (Can't Afford a Tagline... send money.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I am sure you have heard the old joke where a fellow gets to the pearly gates and has St. Peter give him a tour. They arrive at the Heavenly Cafeteria when a person in a white coat brusquely pushes to the front of the line, grabs a piece of pie and a coffee throws some change at the cashier and rudely sets by himself in a corner. St. Pete shakes his head and says to the new recruit, “that’s God, he thinks he’s a surgeon”.

This is a true story according to the anesthesiologist that told me the tale.


89 posted on 06/27/2011 2:30:57 PM PDT by TxDas (This above all, to thine ownself be true.)
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To: jpsb

“I joined the USMC in 69, do you know how had it was to get into the national guard in 69? Impossible unless someone pulled strings for you.’

Not true, all you had to be was educated and be able to spell.


90 posted on 06/27/2011 2:35:24 PM PDT by TxDas (This above all, to thine ownself be true.)
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To: TxDas

No. I had not heard it. But I can believe it.

But I have to tell you, I’ve met some very skilled surgeons.

I’d have baked them some pies.


91 posted on 06/27/2011 2:55:09 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

“But I have to tell you, I’ve met some very skilled surgeons.

I’d have baked them some pies.”

I know lots of surgeons, hundreds, and their skill set follows a normal curve from poor to unbelievable. However, I have never seen one bake a pie so if you are looking for reciprocity, well, fat chance.

Regarding anesthesiologists, don’t forget - you are not paying them to put you to sleep, you are paying to have them wake you up!

I might add, a great surgeon can have lots of bad outcomes if the post-op care is piss poor. The best predictors of outcome are the surgeon and hospital.


92 posted on 06/27/2011 3:04:02 PM PDT by TxDas (This above all, to thine ownself be true.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Thanks for the replies, but IMO, Perry should have been out front attacking the corrupt, anti-American prosecutors in this case. Same with Bush! All I can say is that I’m still listening. I would be a liar if I told you I felt less than betrayed when Perry didn’t stand up for Arizona. Thanks again, Bob


93 posted on 06/27/2011 3:10:56 PM PDT by alstewartfan (When you're fresh out of lawyers, you don't know how good it's gonna feel! Al Stewart)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Excellent post C.W., thank you for posting!


94 posted on 06/28/2011 1:44:43 PM PDT by potlatch
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To: potlatch

Thank you!

June 30, 2011......”Is America ready for a president who was George W. Bush’s lieutenant governor, who was George W. Bush’s successor as governor ... and who, like George W. Bush, was also a Karl Rove puppet?” taunts Garry South, a Democratic consultant, referring to Bush’s strategist.

But that jibe ignores what has been, at best, a cool relationship between Bush and Perry, and a lingering hostility between their top political advisors.

The two share some characteristics, sometimes unnervingly so. They have similar accents, the same cowboy gait and many of the same mannerisms. But the two come from starkly different backgrounds, approach politics in utterly different fashions and even draw their support from different parts of the GOP. It is the difference, said a campaign consultant who has worked with both, between Yale and Texas A&M, between Phillips Academy Andover and Paint Creek High School.

To a certain upper crust of Republican, “Perry is the low-rent country cousin” who lacks Bush’s prep-school polish, said R.G. Ratcliffe, a longtime student of Texas politics who is writing a book about Perry. “They see him as a hick and are embarrassed having someone like that as governor.”

Privately, the former president has spoken of his successor as a political lightweight and someone not all that bright. Perry scoffs behind closed doors at Bush’s privileged background and popularity among country-club Republicans, suggesting the New England native is a faux Texan.

Perry’s story is the kind of up-by-his-bootstraps saga that Bush might have scripted for himself, had he been able.

He grew up in West Texas, in a farm town so small it literally was not on the state map until Perry, as governor, put it there. Life was austere; Perry was 6 before the family had indoor plumbing. His mother sewed his clothes, including the underwear Perry wore to college......

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-0630-perry-bush-20110630,0,5018631,full.story


95 posted on 06/30/2011 2:28:41 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
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