Bush and I were Lieutenants (Fellow Pilot Comes to Bush's Defense)

The Washington Times Letters to the Editor ^ | 2-11-4 | Col. William Campenni (ret.)

[Petronski]

'Bush and I were lieutenants'

George Bush and I were lieutenants and pilots in the 111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron (FIS), Texas Air National Guard (ANG) from 1970 to 1971. We had the same flight and squadron commanders (Maj. William Harris and Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, both now deceased). While we were not part of the same social circle outside the base, we were in the same fraternity of fighter pilots, and proudly wore the same squadron patch.

[Mo1]

Linda Vester just mentioned that next she will have a guest that did serve in the guard with President Bush

[Happy2BMe]

Bush and I were Lieutenants (Fellow Pilot Comes to Bush's Defense)

This man will be on Fox TV's "Dayside" at around 1:35 EST today (Wednesday)

[mystery-ak]

I knew you would like it....

[gipper81]

He summed it up by calling this the "silly season".

Chris Wallace calls it silly. Susan Estrich smiles, laughs (hyena-like) and thinks it is all a riot. Alan Colmes repeats (parrott-like) its a smear campaign, its a smear campaign ....

Those are the sights and sounds of Republicans scoring points. It must continue.

[afropick]

Thank goodness for FR and Fox news channel, otherwise we would all be in for a long year. Any bets Cnn would try to get him as guest.

[Petronski]

Ehhhhx-cellent!

[pax_et_bonum]

ping

[maica]

***How many came through? Couple hundred in five years.***

It is so obvious that no one in the dim presscorps has a clue about national guard service. Kerry should since he was in the Naval Reserve from 1972-1978. None of his staff seem to have a clue either.

[Rander7]

The guy is on Dayside who served with President bush!

[Mudboy Slim]

"If you promise not to tell the truth about our guy, we won't tell lies about yours."

Yep...Massachusetts most consistently Lib'ral Senator is a sitting duck once we start making his record known to the electorate!!

FReegards...MUD

[mike1sg]

Yes, I did, I thank you all at FR for your efforts in getting the word out. A lot of my fellow National Guardsman here weren't aware that they are not in the *Real Military*.

[Petronski]

The guy talking now worked the same Alabama political campaign as Lt. Bush.

[ThePythonicCow]

Thanks for the ping, Mo.

I was in the Air Force at the same time, not the National Guard. I was in radar ground operations, nothing as dangerous as flying. So I can't speak to the finer details of this, but the overall flavor of it sure rings true.

My papers ended up at that same Colorado 'disciplinary' unit - that's where papers went when you became inactive.

[Mo1]

I just heard .. he did a telephone interview

The email Linda read from a viewer was funny ..

[CyberCowboy777]

BTTT

Knock it off Bump!

[MEG33]

Posted here

[Happy2BMe]

The eyewitness just came on (for about 3 minutes) via telephone conference from his home in Alabama.

He was asked, "Did anyone from the White House ask you to speak on behalf of the president."

Answer: No

The conversation revolved around whether or not Bush was doing political campaign work when he was supposed to be doing his Air Guard commitment.

Again, the answer was No. Bush went back to Texas for the weekend to pull his guard duty, then came back to Alabama.

Final analysis was you just don't get paid by the guard if you don't show up. Bush got paid.

If there is one weak spot, it is that Bush allowed his flight status to lapse by not showing up for a physical.

The assumption there is of course he was smoking weed or something he wanted to hide in a physical.

All conjecture.

[Some hope remaining.]

Thanks for the ping, xzins.

[T. Buzzard Trueblood]

BTTT

[xzins]

If there is one weak spot, it is that Bush allowed his flight status to lapse by not showing up for a physical.

Not really. The colonel points out above that they were not in pilot slots and that it was no big deal to let your flight status lapse.