Guardsman says he saw Bush's Guard records in trash

CNN ^ | Friday, February 13, 2004 | Suzanne Malveaux

[537 Votes]

(CNN) -- A former officer in the Texas National Guard said Thursday he once overheard a conversation in which there was a request to sanitize President Bush's Guard records during Bush's tenure as Texas governor.

Soon afterward, he said, he saw Bush's Guard performance review in a trash can. Bush served in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War era.

Retired Lt. Col. Bill Burkett, who was then an adviser to the Texas adjutant general, who in that capacity serves as the commander of the state's National Guard, made the allegations.

He said that in 1997 he overheard Joe Allbaugh -- who was Bush's chief of staff at the time -- ask Guard commander Maj. Gen. Daniel James to gather Bush's files and "make sure there wasn't anything there that would embarrass the governor."

Allbaugh reacted angrily to Burkett's charges, calling them "hogwash" and "absolute garbage." Allbaugh, who went on to direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the Bush administration, said he doesn't even know who the "goober" is, referring to Burkett.

James denied any reports were altered, according to The New York Times.

Burkett said that the day after he overhead Allbaugh's request, he heard James convey a directive to the state services officer to gather Bush's files and go through them. Then, about 10 days later, he said, he came across "files on a table."

"But I also saw at the edge of that table a roughly 15-gallon, old metal waste can. At the top of that were several pages, 20 to 40 pages approximately," Burkett said on CNN's "Paula Zahn Now."

"I glanced down at the top of those documents. In ink was the word 'Bush, George W., 1 Lt.' This was a performance report. I was right at the trash can. I filtered through the top five or six pages in that, and they were all copies and originals of old performance documents and pay records for 'Bush, George W., 1 Lt."

Burkett said he was disheartened after the incident. "All of those efforts, I felt, had been -- had undermined our cause," said Burkett, who had worked to make the Texas National Guard more efficient.

"I'm not going to get in the mud. You know, this has become a political football," he told CNN. "I'm here to tell you the same facts that I said, and I reported, and I have worked through the state legislative system in the state of Texas," Burkett said.

"This is no new allegation, this is no new case, and this is no new fact. The fact is the same today as it was in 1997. And God is my pilot, and God is in my foxhole."

Burkett's claims about Bush's records were also made in a 1998 letter to a Democratic congressman, according to the Times. In the letter, Burkett complained that his battle over medical care with the Guard led to his being hospitalized for depression.

White House communications director Dan Bartlett, who as an aide to then-Gov. Bush handled the records in 1990s, on Wednesday called Burkett's allegations an "outrageously false statement," according to the Times.

White House officials referred to Burkett as an unhappy former guardsman who had a falling out with his superiors, the paper said.

Burkett is quoted in an upcoming book, "Bush's War for Re-election," by James Moore. Moore said Burkett's "reputation is impeccable."

"And we know that the president's record in terms of his grounding as a pilot is missing. The final points totals are missing. Any medical records are missing. And a retirement statement, in terms of the points he earned, is missing," Moore said.

Questions about Bush's Guard service have intensified in recent weeks after Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe said Bush was AWOL, or absent without leave, from his Air National Guard service during a period from May 1972 to May 1973 when he was transferred from Texas to Alabama so he could work on a Senate political campaign.

The White House has fought back, releasing records it says prove Bush fulfilled his requirements and was honorably discharged. Most recently, the White House released a document showing that Bush got a dental exam at the Dannelly Air National Guard Base in Alabama on January 6, 1973. (Full story)

"This again shows he was there, he served in Alabama. He was honorably discharged," said White House press secretary Scott McClellan.

Burkett's allegations were on some Internet web sites just before the 2000 presidential election but were largely unreported by conventional media, according to USA Today.

But questions have lingered since that year's presidential campaign, after the Boston Globe uncovered a May 1973 evaluation by Bush's commander stating that the first lieutenant had not been seen during the previous year.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux contributed to this report.

[PLK]

But I also saw at the edge of that table a roughly 15-gallon, old metal waste can. At the top of that were several pages, 20 to 40 pages approximately," Burkett said on CNN's "Paula Zahn Now."

Ya, right. All the altering of offical government documents resulted in them being carelessly discarded in an "old metal waste can."

This is so laughable, I don't where to begin!

[BunnySlippers]

This guy was on Chris Matthews last night and was not that credible. He did say he was a Democrat. Said he was not in the room when the conversation took place ... the door was cracked open about 7-8 inches.

Chris was slavering however.

[PLK]

he never interviewed some of the key players who could have verified Burkett's charges, including Conn

It's OBVIOUS he never interviewed him because Conn would not corroborate the "story." The Houston's guy's mission is to discredit Prez Bush - I haven't read through all this mess, but I would bet the farm the "reporter" has a history of left-wing journalism.

[observer5]

Here goes the (C)rap (N)ews (N)etwork

"I saw something in the trash..." It was CNN.

No need to investigate rape allegation against Clintoon.

What a bunch of a**holes.

[Common Tator]

If this attack were working, Kerry would be in on it.

If this attack were working every story would lead with Bush poll numbers tanking. That would be followed by a line saying the National Guard Scandal is eating into Bush Support.

[newzhawk]

shredder vs trash can- really now buddy- I am sure the trash can idea would be the least likely place to throw files you didn't want anyone to see..this guy is trying to push his book- all the Bush haters that bought Franken's book might buy his

[RedWing9]

Well, let me see... ask Guard commander Maj. Gen. Daniel James to gather Bush's files and "make sure there wasn't anything there that would embarrass the governor."

I wonder if he heard Mr. Albaugh say "I just want to..."...

[CHICAGOFARMER]

Retired Lt. Col. Bill Burkett, who was then an adviser to the Texas adjutant general, who in that capacity serves as the commander of the state's National Guard, made the allegations.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I guess W just provided this guy a liar with the release of the his flight records which showed excellent or better.

HA HA HA

I guess I am a TEXAN"S

Texan's Answer:

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! ... click click click...

[gov_bean_ counter]

Personnel records would never be simply discarded in a trash can. Requlations require they be destroyed by the only people authorized to view them. Idiots.

[snooker]

So Bush hops in his time machine goes back in time, retrieves the records and poof. The retrieved records are passed out to the media Friday afternoon.

Now we need to find a way to get this fellow into the time machine and send him back there. POOOOF or maybe .... here kitty kitty. Where is a good ZOT when you need one.

[Jorge]

I'm sick and tired of dealing with these liberal pieces of trash.

Especially when these same liberals didn't care that Clinton not only didn't serve AT ALL, but wrote that he "loathed the military" and protested against our country on foreign soil.

Yet they are nitpicking at Bush over what days he did or didn't show up for National Guard duty.

I flipped through the channels and saw EVERY liberal "news" show making a big deal out of this NOTHING issue. Hypocrites on parade.

I hope this backfires on them big time.

Any conservative who stays home in Nov deserves the absolute worst. And if they stay home, they might get it.

I agree. The idea that conservatives could see this going on, see what kind of garbage we are up against in this country, and NOT do all they can to support Bush is beyond comprehension.

[plain talk]

Yeah and I saw John 'effin Kerry's records in a trash can, too. It showed that John never got any battle wounds and was given three purple hearts as a favor from a general who Kerry was blackmailing. Or maybe I just made that up. But perhaps we need a complete investigation to get to the bottom of it. ;-)

[vaudine]

What a hot, steamy, stinking pile. Some people will do anything for fame/money/notoriety.

I used to work in Officer's Personnel for Dept. of the Army,for an aviation unit, and I used to purge files as needed in accordance with Army Regs. There are sometimes superflous or redundent pages, sometimes some that need to be redone/corrected. I reviewed officers records when they were incoming and outbound.
These records are handled by personnel clerks like I was, and they are not infallible--human mistakes are made.

I DO wish the White House would quit keeping this alive by releasing stuff. It will never be enough. I absolutely despise CNN, and the other alphabet soups.

As for being grounded, if Bush was, this has been asked and answered and easily explained. Lt. Col Centenni gave the best answer--if you missed your physical you were temorarily grounded until you got it. Good grief! If a pilot missed his physical, he didn't even have papers put in his file--it would have something like a flag or be put in a suspense file until the physical was updated. Reasons for missing--the clinic was closed; you were elsewhere (quite legally), even you forgot it. You just cannot fly until you've had your annual physical. And if grounded for this reason or another reasonable one, it would not require disciplinary action, nor would it show on the discharge BECAUSE it was nothing for disciplinary action. Even if an active duty pilot FORGOT HIS PHYSICAL appt. they would simply flag his file and reschedule it.

The sad fact for the President, and the nation is that CNN could not care less--they're in it to help John Kerry and to down Bush. Pray hard for the President to be delivered from this and to have the wisdom to help himself.

By the way, I wonder if CNN could help my daughter find her records of 90 consecutive days of active reserve duty. She served only six years ago, and the records have been lost for four years. She can't get credit for that service. She was paid and they can't find her pay records either--no she didn't keep hers or can't find them.

If you hear a primordial scream in the distance any time soon, it will be me venting.

vaudine

[American_Centurion]

I'll say this once, even though you are a troll.

Personnel records at a military unit are officially known as the Military Personnel Records Jacket (MPRJ). Any official paperwork that would require action at a level higher than the local unit would have a COPY in the MPRJ. Official paperwork that requires higher action are pay records, attendance records, evaluations, awards, insurance selection, disciplinary actions, and Skill qualifiers. All of the official originals are sent to the personnel command to be entered in what is known as the Official Military Personnel File (OMPF). The OMPF for all personnel who have terminated service or retired is located in the Military records repository in St. Louis, MO.

Any records that could recently be found for 1LT Bush would have to come from St. Louis, it is illegal for any unit to maintain any record other than historical/alumni data on personnel no longer in that unit for more than 2 years. It has been a heck of a lot longer than 2 years since President Bush was in the National Guard.

[American_Centurion]

Scan my #54 and confirm or deny if my recollection is correct regarding military records.

[2nd Amendment]

Bush might have served his time with the Alabama National Guard . . . but do you republicans have video tapes of every second of his guard duty?? Huh? The coverup continues! Why can't you just admit that Bush doesn't have the integrity of Kerry? who stoicically brushed off scurilous internet rumors with a wave of his media-supported hand.

[Stultis]

Suzanne Malveaux is a lying bitch. There's simply no way she could have arranged the "facts" in this article (and censored their rebuttals or outright falsifications) in such carefully misleading manner without doing so intentionally, and with knowledge of the rebutting evidence.

[Fitzcarraldo]

How much $$$ or booze did the dems give this loser?

[WilliamofCarmichael]

dem Rats are aiming for a "Watergate." Look for calls demanding that Congress investigate "what is missing" and "when did the President know it was missing."

Look, dem Rats have a two-time war hero (once for our side and once for the commies' side) and they want to exploit it to the max. (With the intern story, two-time takes on yet another meaning.)

I'm getting a feeling that this election won't pass without a lot of street action. Our enemies want to stir up violence and it's clear that normal political discourse is near the breaking point -- actually, it broke down thirty years ago but the right just now realizes it.

[AndyTheBear]

But hip hip hurray!!! This media witch hunt is going to backfire...on the DNC, on Kerry, and on the media. It's way over the top.

Right on! Fortunately, they were so desperate to hurt Bush that they have spent their credibility way too early. By the time November rolls around, this story will be seen for what it really is.