Posted on 09/13/2004 5:34:04 AM PDT by TheBlindPig
The common assumption in the MSM is that there was a waiting list for pilots in the Texas Air National Guard when President Bush joined. I have always thought that was an ignorant assumption, since the qualifications to become a pilot are much more stringent than the qualifications to simply enlist in the military.
This morning I saw an interview where those evil bastards at Fox News actually dared to question that assumption by asking the question of someone who was actually in a position to know - Col. Earl Lively (Ret), the former Director of Operations for the Texas Air National Guard:
E.D. Hill: One of the other claims is that President Bush, because of his connections, was able to, in essence, jump in front of hundreds of applicants. Now, you were the head of the Texas National Guard at that time. Did a significant number of people meet the requirements for the physical, educational, and security needs to even apply for the specific position that Bush took?Col. Lively: No. Actually, I wasn't the head of the Air National Guard. But I was the head of Operations. I was Director of Operations and I oversaw and inspected all of the units in Texas. Flew with them. And the, there was no waiting list for this. See, this is often confused with another thing. Which was a waiting list to simply enlist in the Guard and do you service their rather than in the regular military. And there were lots of people on those waiting lists. But those people weren't qualified to go to pilot training school.
I wish I had transcribed more of the interview, as Col. Lively has many interesting things to say. Including, shock of shocks, his assertion of being misquoted by the Boston Globe. To see what I have, please see this post at my blog.
Fox News mentioned this previously. Due to the educational, security, and fitness requirements, they said that there was a lack of qualified applicants and no waiting list.
Saw that. Lively did good this morning. This whole SeeBSgate is nothing but lies and is only serving to rot away the rodent voters.
FYI, I've seen a switch in Kerry supporters and more people are tuning into FNC and away from CNN.
The line about Bush being given favorable treatment to join the Air National
Guard is bogus. I know because I entered the ANG in February 1964 under the
exact same (or nearly the same) program that Bush qualified for.
My mother heard about the program from one of her bridge playing friends. I
went down to the local unit and found that there was NO waiting line to become
a pilot. All you had to do was pass the written exam and physical, and you
were in. There was no waiting. I passed and I joined. There were no other
reserve slots available anywhere.
I went to Lackland AFB for basic training and then waited
around on civilian status, going to drill on a monthly basis, until a pilot
training slot became vacant in June 1965. I graduated in Class 66H from Craig
AFB, Selma, Alabama. Almost all pilot training classes had guard pilots in them.
We heard that the program was created because there weren't enough pilots who
left active duty that were subsequently joining the guard. A lot of guard
units had real difficulties recruiting pilots and maintaining their readiness
status. The Air Force liked the program because the pilot training slots
didn't go empty and the guard liked it because they could replenish their pilot
ranks.
There were not many volunteers to become a guard pilot. It took a major time
commitment. There were thirteen months of pilot training, more months for
fighter weapons school (or equivalent), more time for local check out, and then
more time every year maintaining the same minimum annual flying requirements as
an active duty pilot with a comparable mission.
On average, I had three Sundays and sometimes one Saturday (rarely two
Saturday's) off a month. There were five days at my day job, one weekend
(Saturday and Sunday) a month for drill, and then flying Saturdays and some
Friday nights in order to maintain Combat Ready status. Guard pilots who were
also airline pilots had much more time off from the airline and could fly for
the guard almost at will during the week.
Not to forget, many people were also not interested in being guard pilots since
flying was thought to be dangerous. Pilots were in accidents and got killed on
a not infrequent basis in pilot training and on training missions. There was also
the chance of being shot at. Because of
the war, ANG units were subject to being activated and sent to Viet Nam, like
President Johnson did to the F-100 units.
No one needed to exercise any influence to get any Tom, Dick or George in the
ANG as a pilot. All they had to do was let Bush know about the program. The
rest was up to him.
Doesn't look like underhanded shenanigans to me. "At Height of Vietnam, Bush Picks Guard," by George Lardner Jr. and Lois Romano Washington Post Staff Writers, July 28, 1999. Fourth of seven articles.
Several sources including The Washington Post have reported that Bush volunteered in 1970 for the "Palace Alert" program but did not have the required flying time to be accepted for an assignment.
By mid-1972 "Peace was at hand," the plane Lt. Bush flew was obsolete and being phased out, there was a glut of all pilots regulars and reserves, DOD budgets were being cut -- why would there not be cutbacks in personnel? Many short-timers were encourage to apply for early discharge if I remember correctly.
Weren't there a lot of support positions in the TANG, that did not require being a pilot?
We heard that the program was created because there weren't enough pilots who left active duty that were subsequently joining the guard.
Good post. Makes sense as I've been under the impression that many pilots leaving the military went to work flying for big bucks for commercial airlines.
Glad also to see some info, albeit sketchy, about the physical requirements to be a military pilot. Wish someone would research & post the actual requirements. For instance, isn't perfect 20/20 vision a req'mt?
Good post.
In 1972 and 1973, the war was winding down. There were far more pilots than planes. They didn't need Bush. He was flying the F102 a dangerous plane. If you've already fullfilled your hours, and knew that you couldn't fly frequently to maintain proficiency, why not skip your flight physical? I mean the F102 had a terrible safely record. Kerry and others are calling Bush AWOL in 1973. The war was winding down. The guard knew where to find him. This is pure BS.
nick
PS-I'm having trouble pulling up the News & Opinion page on www.vote.com Anyone else having the same trouble and know why?
Too many.
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