My experience was dated to the 80's, and Navy, not Texas National Guard, but the procedures were probably identical. One "drill" was 4 hours (or half a day). So, in a typical "weekend drill", a reservist would get 4 drill credits. The records documented how many drills you did, i.e. 50 per year was the minium for a "good year", i.e. a year creditable towards retirement. You'd get 1 drill credit per actual day of active duty, so you'd also get 12 to 14 drills for your annual "Active Duty for Training". By the way, the "admin drills" some speak of were essentially non-pay "freebees". Every hour you were "on duty" for the Naval Reserve, you were supposed to record "drills", for legal liability and retirement purposes. At retirement, 1 drill=1 day, and 365 days = 1 year toward retirement. So, when actual "retirement" payments are calculated, a Reservists is paid on the same pay schedule, except it's prorated for actual "days" (i.e. Active Duty days + drill days) served. So, a guy with say, 8 years active duty, who then transfers over to the Reserve, and finishes 30 years, might actually end up with about 12 years of retirement pay (i.e. 8 years, plus an average of 60 drills per year, times 22 years, divided by 365).
Now that you're quite bored by this discussion, remember one thing: When the media talks about drills Bush did or didn't do, they are talking about retirement points, not legal service requirements! Missed drills can be excused. Drills can be rescheduled. Drills can be done off site. And, remember this: Add 1 weekend a month (4 drills) times 12, plus two weeks (12 days) active duty equals 60 drills, plus 15 more points gratis for just serving, makes the average points per reservist 75. Only 50 are required. So, Bush could have had "good years" at 50 points, missing a bunch of drills. Or, he might have done 3 weeks Active Duty for a school, or something else. All these details are a S-M-O-K-E --- S-C-R-E-E-N, to innoculate Kerry about the charges certain to come regarding his treasonous actions AFTER leaving the Navy. Every time a Democrat leader has a "morals" problem of some type, they attack an honorable Republican leader for doing something worse.
Get the pattern; this is not about Bush, this is about Kerry's own shame.
Again, few, very few military officers would write themselves up for a cut finger received while opening an ammo pouch during a fire fight, or for shrappnel picked out by the medic with tweasers. EVEN FEWER would complain "I got three owwwees, can I go home now..??", leaving their boat crew to face the VC with a far less experienced leader. I wouldn't have. NO officer I served with would have. I may have cowered with fear the whole time (River patrol duty was nearly the nastiest duty in the Navy during that war), but I couldn't have walked out on my guys. (Annidote: My reserve unit was re-called to active duty two months after I left for Desert Shield/Storm. I voluteered to return to my old position, but the C.O. thought my relief had enough time and experience to do the job. I'm not some "wierd" patriot. I had two small babies I couldn't bear to leave, but I had my crew to think of.)
Only true "whackos" would travel to Saigon as a Junior Officer to talk to the Theater Commander, OVER AND ABOVE HIS CHAIN OF COMMAND! Kerry had a geninely high estimation of himself. The only officers who jetted into the war zone, switch jobs from tedious ship board duty to a fun "beach job", and then rotated out of combat six months early, were the "perfumed princes" who were there to punch their ticket, and then go on to bigger and better (i.e. political) things. As a former Navy Officer, I resent Kerry, and everything he stood for. Kerry's a hero?? Well, so was the Oaklahome terrorist McVay, and Gen. Benedict Arnold too!
This whole garbage about Bush being AWOL is Michael Moores personal creation. What has Moore ever done that deserves the least bit of credibility? Compared to Bush, Moore belongs in the loony bin.
SFS