Doctor Remembers Treating BUSH IN ALABAMA

Montgomery Advertiser (AP) ^ | -2-15-04 | cww

[CWW]

DOCTOR RECALLS TREATING BUSH

By Jessica M. Walker
Montgomery Advertiser

A retired Air Force colonel says a missing form may be behind some confusion President George W. Bush
-- AP

A retired Air National Guard physician recalls giving President Bush a physical in 1972, his son said Saturday, adding another memory to the small but growing pool of recollections of Bush's military service in Montgomery.

The memories of Bush's service contradict a dearth of paperwork surrounding his time assigned to the Alabama Air National Guard, but a retired Air National Guard personnel officer said the lack of records could very well be the result of shoddy record-keeping, as opposed to deliquence on Bush's part.

James Anderson was a physician for the Montgomery-based 187th Tactical Reconnaissance Group. His son, Montgomery physician Noble Anderson, said his father performed a routine examination on Bush at Dannelly Air National Guard base in 1972.

Noble Anderson said his 64-year-old father had directed media inquiries to him because of his age, and because he did not want to be inundated with calls from the press.

The military doctor says that Lt. Col. John "Bill" Calhoun brought Bush by his office for an exam, Noble Anderson said.

James Anderson could not remember which month he saw Bush, only that it was some time in 1972, his son said.

Bush mentioned that he was from Texas "and I think that's one of the reasons it stuck out in his mind," Noble Anderson said.

The White House has not released Bush's military medical records, except for a single dental exam, and has only allowed a small pool of reporters to view them.

Calhoun came forward late last week, saying that he remembered Bush serving at Dannelly in 1972.

Calhoun and James Anderson were "good friends," Noble Anderson said.

Retired Brigadier General William Turnipseed of the 187th said that he remembered a doctor named James Anderson working with the unit, but could not confirm the exact dates of his service.

Anderson still maintains his medical license and still practices in Montgomery, but is semi-retired, according to his son.

Some Democrats have challenged Bush's military service, saying that he did not show up for drills from May 1972 to May 1973.

Bush worked for the unsuccessful Senate campaign of Winton "Red" Blount in 1972, and requested temporary leave from his Texas unit for the duration of the campaign.

In September 1972, Bush requested to perform "equivalent duty" with the 187th. The request was approved, and Bush was directed to report to Turnipseed.

Turnipseed says he has no recollection of Bush showing up for duty.

Records of Bush's Alabama military service are scant, but the White House has released a dental exam dated Jan. 6, 1973 and signed by a Dannelly Air National Guard dentist.

George Singleton, a 64-year-old retired Air Force colonel, now a real estate broker in Birmingham, said that when the 187th agreed to take on Bush as a guest driller, they also took on the responsibility of providing him with an evaluation when his service was over.

Singleton was a personnel officer with the Tennessee Air National Guard.

"When you accept as a matter of personnel activity to let someone guest drill with you, you also agree to provide a letter of evaluation for the person you accepted as a guest driller.

The lieutenant colonel in Montgomery (who agreed to take Bush as a guest driller) failed to render an evaluation," said Singleton.

Singleton said, based on his experience as a personnel officer, there should be a form 77-A in Bush's file from the 187th, evaluating his performance.

He said he has been a guest driller, and had a form 77-A in his file from guest drilling in 1973, and he said they were commonly issued during his tenure as a personnel officer.

No such form has surfaced so far in the hundreds of documents released by the White House relating to Bush's military service.

Singleton said he is a Republican and is a Blount family friend, although he supported former president Jimmy Carter in the 1970s

[NautiNurse]

Forgetful as a Turnipseed.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Let's find out who recommended Kerry for his medals.

Something smells there.

That guy smells like a fraud to me, especially when you compare his Vietnam experience to the rest of his public life.

He didn't become a fraud all of a sudden after he returned from the war.

[YaYa123]

Should I hold my breath till someone in the mainstream media mentions this on television? Till Chris Mathews apologizes for holding court with Burkette, his accusor?

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The Demonic Rats are getting their next Media bullet ready, this Bush AWOL seems to be dying a slow death!

[CheezyD]

Let's find out who recommended Kerry for his medals.

I'm all for that. Didn't Kerry write his own reports as he was commander of the boat he was on?

[billhilly]

The Bush family is an honorable family, and always has been among the most gracious of families. President Bush is as nice as humanly possible, and I get so furious when those sick losers, the democrats, try to besmirch his integrity.

I watched Meet The (Prick) Press, Tim Russert this morning spending the entire program following Charles Rangel's points and accusations, and in general supporting Kerry and tearing down President Bush.

Enough already.

[billhilly]

The Bush family is an honorable family, and always has been among the most gracious of families. President Bush is as nice as humanly possible, and I get so furious when those sick losers, the democrats, try to besmirch his integrity.

I watched Meet The (Prick) Press, Tim Russert this morning spending the entire program following Charles Rangel's points and accusations, and in general supporting Kerry and tearing down President Bush.

Enough already.

[js1138]

I'm all for that. Didn't Kerry write his own reports as he was commander of the boat he was on?

Enquiring minds want to know. But it's best for such questions not to surface until dems are stuck with him.

Sometime between getting the votes and getting the nomination would be nice.

[YaYa123]

thanks for this thread.

Paging Chris Mathews....Paging Chris Mathews!!!!

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

I'm all for that. Didn't Kerry write his own reports as he was commander of the boat he was on?

Everybody should send in a request to Drudge to investigate......

it's only fair after what they did to Bush's National Guard service!

[Angelwood]

You might turn pretty blue/purple waiting for any of the Chris Mathews-type dems to report the truth about Bush's NG service and the many people who are speaking up for him.

Never Trust Democrats With National Security -- that includes media democrats as well -- the BIG LIE is the top DNC talking point and the liberal media representatives are the democrats willing cohorts in the big push to undermine the President and Commander-in-Chief during wartime.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Singleton said he is a Republican and is a Blount family friend, although he supported former president Jimmy Carter in the 1970s..."

I find it interesting that articles like this always seem to include a "last-line disclaimer" giving the "background" of the source ONLY if the article/source is favorable to the Republicans and the source is also Republican, but similar articles/sources by/from DEMOCRATS never seem to.

[demlosers]

Let's find out who recommended Kerry for his medals.

It takes first hand knowledge to recommend someone for a medal. It could have a crew member on the Swift boat. I suspect, it was Kerry who wrote himself up and then was endorsed by one of his crew before it was submitted up the chain-of-command.

[Patriut]

It's about time, but this misses the point. How come nobody points out that by volunteering for the Senate campaign of a superb Alabama candidate (NOT a racist), Bush was doing something commendable, civicly important, and patriotic. He couldn't fly in Alabama any way, the guard there had no F-102s, so what would have been the point of taking the exam? Also, how come we are hearing more about his volunteer service during this period?

[Patriut]

Right, demlosers, if commanding officers could do that, you think there would be anyone in the Navy who didn't have a silver star?

[mass55th]

"Let's find out who recommended Kerry for his medals."

I'd like to hear from any of the guys who served on that Swift Boat with him. The only one he can come up with is the Republican he fished out of the water.

[Terpfen]

bump for later reading.

[Joe Marine 76]

I'd like someone, and maybe it should be someone from the mainstream media, to search Kerry's Officer Qualification Record and any other records for the "NAVMC Form 1650 - Recommendation for Personal Award" and discern who recommended the Silver Star Medal and who the witnesses were for the award. I personally belief that Kerry's Silver Star is bunch of hooey; I believe it was contrived as were his Purple Hearts and his "self-inflicted short-tour" of Vietnam! I certainly have NO proof, just a good gut feeling from everything that I know about this morally bankrupt man.

[demlosers]

I believe there is a higher standard of personal integrity in the military than the general public. Medals become worthless without honesty.