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.
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?