Do the Democrats Really Want to Talk About This?

USA Today via Powerline Blog ^ | Feb. 16, 2004 | Power Line Blog

[TheMole]

We posted yesterday on the fact that the Democrats' groundless attack on President Bush's National Guard service may have the unintended effect of informing voters of the fact that Bush was, in fact, an excellent fighter pilot--a fact that has not been widely known.

USA Today has published lengthy extracts from the President's National Guard records; reader Ruth Solomon has performed the valuable service of transcribing the highlights of the PDF files that are available online.

In both 1971 and 1972, the President received top-notch evaluations, with most of his ratings in the highest category possible. Here is the narrative portion of the 1971 evaluation:

Lt Bush is an exceptionally fine young officer and pilot. After completing the F102 all weather interceptor school in November 1969, he came to this unit as a highly qualified fighter interceptor pilot. Lt Bush possesses sound judgement and is mature beyond his age and experience level. During the last weapons firing deployment, he delivered both primary and secondary weapons from the F102. Lt Bush performed in an outstanding manner, following the test projects requirement set forth. He also participated in a practice element deployment during annual field training. He was easily able to handle intercepts with varying geometries and tactics selection. He continually flies intercept missions with the unit to increase his proficiency further. Lt Bush is a natural leader but he is also a good follower of military discipline. Lt Bush has outstanding growth potential and should be promoted well ahead of his contemporaries.

And this is the narrative portion for 1972:

Lt Bush is an exceptional fighter interceptor pilot and officer. He eagerly participates in scheduled unit activities. During the past year he participated in several target force deployments and an F-102 aircraft element deployment in Canada. His conduct and professional approach to the mission were clearly exemplary and apparent to observers. His skills as an interceptor pilot enabled him to complete all his ADC intercept missions during the Canadian deployment with ease.

OTHER COMMENTS: Lt Bush is very active in civic affairs in the community and manifests a deep interest in the operation of our government. He has recently accepted a position as a campaign manager for a candidate for United States Senate. He is a good representative of the military and the Air National Guard in the business world. His abilities and anticipated future assignments make him a valuable asset. He is a member of the National Guard Association of the United States and Texas.

Those last comments look pretty prescient.

[mwl1]

If the Left wants to really make this election about Vietnam, it will be another war the Democrats lose.

Yes, the bravado of the leftist columnists (O'Donnell has been unbelievable) has been shrill - "if the GOP wants to refight Vietnam, they will lose badly because the American people hated that war." etc etc

Nonsense. This is pure bluff to scare the GOP from addressing Kerry's post-Vietnam protest activity.

Nice try, RATS. You are indeed a laugh a minute.

[hunter112]

Actually, I hope they keep hammering this point.

I severely doubt we will be discussing Bush's record in a month from now. We're more likely to focus on Kerry's anti-war activities, after he's safely the nominee.

Why were we talking about this in the first place? Only because that big fat idiot Michael Moore spouted off about Bush being AWOL. Just another case of a Darwin-award candidate shooting himself in the foot.

Kerry will wish he has such an easy time answering for his actions thirty years ago as Bush has had!

[Mr Rogers]

Actually, the report on an Lt rarely sees the light of day after written. Reports don't mean a whole lot until someone comes up for major - and then the board pays attention to the last few. Same for command - it comes late enough in the Air Force that a Lt report recommending it doesn't mean much.

Not to denigrate Bush's Guard service - but don't pay much attention to an early report like that...

[timpad]

Read it described on these boards as a "brick with fins".

That's kinda what I had heard as well. All was well and good unless you got into some kind of spin or other instability. Recovering from that was pretty hairy. But, I have no first hand knowledge or experience, I only know what I've been told.

[Lauratealeaf]

Not to denigrate Bush's Guard service - but don't pay much attention to an early report like that...

That may be true in the Air Force but in the Army at different times it was true. My husband had reports like that and was promoted in the secondary zone for Captain, Maj. and Lt. Col. My son is a Captain now and they usually don't consider Lt. reports now. It was an indication of real potential for George W. Bush though. From the very first days he had it.

[unspun]

Thanks to both!

[altura]

one pingy dingy.

[jveritas]

The Democrats and Kerry had opened a can of worms by bringing the Vietnam issue. In their delusion they thought that they could portray Kerry as a war hero and President Bush as an AWOL. Now the President had destroyed their claims by releasing his National Guard service records and proved to the nation that he fulfilled all his duties with honor. Now the problem will be about Kerry anti Vietnam War activities and his trashing of the troops by accusing them of committing atrocities in Vietnam on a large scale and that many soldiers were doing it. These accusations were proven top be false after investigations. People will eventually view Kerry as a traitor rather than a war hero and this will be a huge problem for him in the general election. It was a grave mistake for the Democrats and Kerry to bring Vietnam in this election.

[e_castillo]

ping...

Well if anything this smearing of the President has started to energize the Republican base which was in need of a good jolt.

[Defender2]

????:-)

[Defender2]

#56. Very Well spoken, baseballmom, thanks for your post:-)

[Stallone]

bttt

[okie01]

"As a 20 year Air Force pilot myself I can tell you that these reports are absolutely standard language used for 95% of all new pilots. There's always 5% that don't get it! It indicates that Lt. Bush was doing a good job and had command of the particulars of his aircraft and mission. The inflated language is SOP."

Anybody who flew a 102 and did "a good job and had command of the particulars of his aircraft and mission" deserves all the inflated language they can get.

[Defender2]

The F-102A was our first All Weather Supersonic interceptor. It was powered by the Pratt & Whitney J-57 Axial flow afterburner equipped(Hot Streak) engine rated at
17,000 lbs. of thrust with full afterbuner in operation. The last updated Radar installed was the Hughes MG-10. Data Link was also fitted to the F-102 for GCI(Ground Controlled Intercept. It was armed with 3 AIM-4A & 3AIM-4C or D Missiles, or 2 AIM-4A and one or two AIM-26A or B Missiles, the A being unconventional, and 2 or 3 AIM-4C or D missiles. The 4A,26A and 26B being SARH guided, and the 4C or D being infrared guided. F-102s' modified for the AIM-26 could in addition carry only 12 2.75 inch rockets, unmodified F-102As could carry 24 2.75 inch rockets in addition to it's primary armament. Most who flew the F-102 enjoyed flying it. It's successor the F-106A/B was very well liked by it's aircrews. it had 50% more thrust from it's Pratt & Whitney J-75P-17 and with the "Area Rule" designed into the F-106 from the outset it was twice as fast and had more range.

[Law is not justice but process]

Does anyone know how prospective ANG pilots were assigned an airplane type? Did Bush choose the F-102 or was it assigned to him?

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Bump and a bookmark!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Why were we talking about this in the first place? Only because that big fat idiot Michael Moore spouted off about Bush being AWOL.

Type in "miserable failure" to a google.com search. :-)

[kitkat]

BUMP

[gatorbait]

Does anyone know how prospective ANG pilots were assigned an airplane type? Did Bush choose the F-102 or was it assigned to him?

In a way, both.The Guard units are assigned a specific mission with a specific type aircraft. The 147th was an ADC gained unit, ergo, he got the Deuce. When the Deuce was being retired from service and being replaced with the Voodoo,W and several other F102 pilots became superflous to the mission.Not enough time left on their hitches to retrain and likely none forthcoming as there was a RIF in flying slots cojoined with the wind down of the Viet Nam War.

Does that help you at all?

[Defender2]

President George W. Bush then entering the Texas Air National Guard as a Second Leutenant flew what was assigned to His assigned unit after fulfilling his initial pilot training and qualification. His unit the 111th F.I.S., 147th F.I.G. at that time flew the F-102A/TF-102a All Weather Interceptor. His unit at the time flew the F-102, hence that is why He flew the F-102. the 111th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 147th Fighter Interceptor Group at that time was assigned to NORAD/ADCOM in the Interceptor role. The Unit was assigned to NORAD/ADCOM/ANG as part of Our nation's Air Defense. I hope this answers your question. I can answer more if need be.:-)