Col. Day would have rather not gotten the Medal. I was a photographer at Eglin AFB when he was the JAG there, about 1977-78. He was a good and humble man who did his best in trying times. I don't doubt he was still doing his best right up to his last moment here.
I note in the article about him in the NY Times, they said "Colonel Day represented military retirees in a federal court case aimed at securing what they said were health benefits once promised by their recruiters." I was one of those retirees. I distinctly remember my recruiter telling me that my wife and I would have free healthcare for life, if I stayed in long enough to retire. I did, but Congress did what it seems to have done throughout history. Nothing good for the troops they made promises to.
My 19YO daughter is in Navy Basic Training, beginning her 5th of 8 weeks. I told her not to trust them to do what they've promised for her, either. I did not tell her not to serve, since it's likely she'll meet some of her own heroes while she does, like I did.
WRM, MSgt. USAF(Ret.) 1973-1997.
A brief correction...Colonel Day was Vice Commander of the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin during his last active duty assignment, not the JAG. As you know, Bud Day never minced words and even during that era, he voiced concerns that the “new” generation of Air Force leaders were politicians, not warriors. That sort of straight talk was enough to keep him from reaching flag rank, and it’s a damn shame. Considering the scores of mediocrities that have populated the Air Force’s senior officer corps over the last 40 years, it’s criminal that Bud Day never got one star, let alone two or three.
As for his legal career, he earned a law degree from the University of South Dakota in the late 1940s, before joining the Air Force Reserve, and later, transitioning to active duty. After retiring from the USAF, he returned to private practice in Shalimar, Florida and was an active member of the bar until the final months of his life.
Truly a “Hero Among Heroes”
http://formerspook.blogspot.com/