Debunking The Bush AWOL Story - From The Horse's Mouth

Brig. Gen. Turnipseed | February 6, 2004 | Hon

[Hon]

I just got off the phone about an hour ago with Brig. Gen. William R. Turnipseed. He is the sole source for the four year old story that Bush was AWOL during his National Guard service.

Mr. Turnipseed is very unhappy with the way what he said "casually" four years ago has been twisted by the "Bush haters" (his words) in the media, especially the Boston Globe (who first reported the story) and the New York Times.

In a nutshell here is what happened, according to Turnipseed. Back in 1972 his Alabama National Guard unit received a letter from Bush (who was in the Texas Nation Guard) asking if he while he was in Alabama do some equivalancy training with the Alabama unit.

Turnipseed said that this request was as a matter of routine turned over to his administrative assistant, Lott, who wrote back to Bush, giving him the dates of the next unit drills. Lott told Bush he could report for those dates.

Neither Turnipseed nor Lott can now remember whether Bush appeared for these drills or not. Turnipseed says he himself might not have even been around the base at the time, so he wouldn't know one way or the other. And he says he has always said this.

The points Turnipseed wanted to stress are these: Bush was never ordered to report for duty to his unit. Since Bush was in the Texas National Guard and Turnipseed was in the Alabama National Guard, he couldn't have ordered him even if he had wanted to. But he didn't want to.

He (or his assistant, Lott) simply gave Bush the dates he could report if he wanted to do equivalency training with them. There were no orders given. If he showed up or didn't show up, it wasn't their concern.

Additionally, Turnipseed says that he never once said anything about Bush being "AWOL." He said it isn't even a term used in the National Guard. And anyway, as already noted, Bush's training record was not his concern, but the Texas National Guard's.

He said that since the Texas National Guard gave him an honorable discharge it shows that he fulfilled his training requirements.

Turnipseed said that the media has constantly misrepresented what he said and edited him so as to make Bush look bad.

He also said that he had no idea who Bush was, and that he certainly didn't do him any special favors. Nor would he have.

He said that when he first spoke to the Boston Globe reporter about this four years ago he didn't realize he was talking to a "Bush hater."

Turnipseed is a strong Bush supporter. He said that he has been contacted many times especially recently, by "Bush haters" in the media, who try to get him to say that Bush was AWOL. Once they realize that he won't cooperate they lose interest in talking to him. When they do quote him, they say he is backpedaling--even though he is still saying the same exact thing he told them four years ago.

He has been recently asked to go on with Peter Jennings and NBC's Dateline, but he is concerned that they will edit him in such a way as to misrepresent his story again. I have been in touch with Fox news, in hopes that they will have somebody talk to him and try to present his story fairly.

Bottom line, this whole AWOL story was media spin from the git-go. The Boston Globe reporter simply cherry picked Turnipseed's comments and totally misrepresented him--to make Bush look bad.

And the media are still doing it four years later. They should be ashamed--but they have no shame. They have only their agenda.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks ! Do you have the document URL or link where you found that 'career summary' ?

I saved Hon's discharge document posted in #169 on this thread.

[chgomac]

Send this info to Brian Lamb at C-Span. He gets calls about this Natl. Guard business all the time.

[Quilla]

Hon, what a wonderful job you've done with this story.

My father was in the Air Force for 30 years and retired in Montgomery after serving at Maxwell Air Force Base. I can recall my parents hosting large parties at our home that included their friends from the military. Yesterday, when I first heard the name of Gen. Turnipseed, I asked my 83 year old, very conservative mother if she remembered him. (My father died in 1998.) She believes he is a lovely gentleman who lives "just past Red Blount's old home" on the southeast side of Montgomery. For her to describe someone as lovely is incredible as she is rather reserved with respect to compliments - one would most certainly have to be conservative to warrant one. The general has been terribly maligned by the media.

Thanks again for presenting the truth.

[Hon]

"She believes he is a lovely gentleman who lives "just past Red Blount's old home" on the southeast side of Montgomery."

Huh. In the small world department, when I was talking to the other Turnipseed--Tom (the Commie) cousin, he said that Bush had been in Alabama to work on Red Blount's campaign. (And that Blount was a rich fat cat pal of Nixon's--which did stike a bell.)

[Hon]

"Dpes your conversation coincide with the Washington Post column of yesterday? I provided link at # 185."

Yes and no. Yes insofar as Turnipseed said that he cannot remember Bush reporting to him. But Turnipseed said that he didn't know who Bush was, and indicated that there was nothing that would have made him stand out if he had met him.

I'd say it is a perfect example of squeezing Turnipseed's remarks to put Bush in the worst possible light. It is certainly a total misrepresentation of the spirit of what Turnipseed said--or at least says he has always said.

[xzins]

I'm convinced that Pres. Bush is sitting on this and will absolutely blow someone away with the detailed facts during a public debate, AND then will demonstrate the "hatefulness" via a near-election advertisement.

Campaigns sit on accusation that can be disproven and use them at various times to enhance their message or to shift momentum.

The bottom line is the Honorable Discharge in hand.

Has anyone ever looked at the basis for Kerry's silver star? Sounds more like bronze star behavior to me.

He was getting shot at, brought his craft ashore, and killed the enemy combatant. Ok.....good....but not silver star stuff.

[ohioWfan]

BTTT

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

BTTT

[Quilla]

Back in the day, before Montgomery had developed in that direction, Red Blount's home on Vaughn Road (IIRC) was considered way out of town - like the last outpost. We often used it as a landmark when giving directions.

[proud American in Canada]

Outstanding!

bump...

[doug from upland]

I didn't know John had a screen name here.

[Lancey Howard]

I didn't know John had a screen name here.

He sure does. He posted an announcement here a year or two ago. I just have to remember what it was.....

[RottiBiz]

Kudos, Hon! Great work and report.

Thanks to your diligence, I hope we can look forward to hearing the truth about the AWOL lie on Brit, Hannity, Rush, et al.

So proud of you, Freeper!

[maica]

Further: His Officer's Fitness Report (OER Form) for 1 May 72 to 30 Apr 73 from Texas credits him with a routine "Not Observed" default markings - exactly correct when an officer is serving, but not at the same continuous duty station as his commanding officer. The CO can't evaluate him, and the temporary station does NOT EVER issue OER's.

***

The reading comprehension-challenged anti-Bush crowd obviously jumped on the Not Observed comment as meaning Not Present for Duty! They are such liars, they lie to themselves.

[kabar]

Thanks for the Kerry timeline. It is a little sketchy when it comes to Kerry's wartime service and the fact that he initiated a request to leave Vietnam a scant four days after receiving his third minor wound. Three Purple Hearts, a Silver and Bronze Star in less than four months sounds suspicious to this former Naval Officer and Vietnam veteran who served two tours, one year in country and eight months offshore.

What I found most interesting about your timeline is the fact that Kerry left the Naval Reserves in 1978. I would really like some more info on whether it was active or inactive reserves and why he left. I am also surprised that the Navy put up with his anti-war activities while still being a member of the reserves.

[Hon]

"Further: His Officer's Fitness Report (OER Form) for 1 May 72 to 30 Apr 73 from Texas credits him with a routine "Not Observed" default markings - exactly correct when an officer is serving, but not at the same continuous duty station as his commanding officer. The CO can't evaluate him, and the temporary station does NOT EVER issue OER's.

The reading comprehension-challenged anti-Bush crowd obviously jumped on the Not Observed comment as meaning Not Present for Duty!"

I bet that is right. Excellent observation!

[maica]

Good point! In the reserves while acting like a Commie-symp! Would this be because he had serious connections in Boston - our man of the people, J Fn Kerry

[Hon]

"What I found most interesting about your timeline is the fact that Kerry left the Naval Reserves in 1978. I would really like some more info on whether it was active or inactive reserves and why he left. I am also surprised that the Navy put up with his anti-war activities while still being a member of the reserves."

That is a good point. On another thread I noted that Kerry was piloting around a major anti-war agitator--while he was still on active duty.

[Hon]

"Would this be because he had serious connections in Boston"

As you probably know Kerry had serious Kennedy connections even before he went to Yale. He worked for Ted Kennedy's Senator campaign while a teenager. He dated Jackie's half-sister.

BTW, the guy I just mentioned who Kerry piloted around while he was still on active duty in the Navy, was Adam Walinsky.

Walinsky had been Robert Kennedy speechwriter before he became the head of the Veterans Against The War. He is also the guy who ghost wrote Kerry's testimony before the Senata in April 1971.

http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/061703.shtml

[Hon]

"What I found most interesting about your timeline is the fact that Kerry left the Naval Reserves in 1978. I would really like some more info on whether it was active or inactive reserves and why he left. I am also surprised that the Navy put up with his anti-war activities while still being a member of the reserves."

It's strange. Kerry seems to always list his military service this way:

"Experience: Navy, 1966-1970; Naval Reserves, 1972-1978"

It looks like he took off the two years from the Navy to attack the military, then quietly went back in.