Bush to Meet With National Guard Members (Fort Polk)

YahooNews ^

[Happy2BMe]

By SCOTT LINDLAW, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - After trying to quell stories about his Vietnam-era military record, President Bush (news - web sites) is seeking to move beyond it by meeting with National Guard members in Louisiana.

Bush was spending Tuesday at Fort Polk, La., giving a speech to thank troops there for their service and sacrifice, White House aides said. Two soldiers killed by a roadside bomb while on mounted patrol in Iraq (news - web sites) last week were assigned to Fort Polk.

In the address, Bush also was reminding troops about the stakes in the war on terrorism and in Iraq.

Fort Polk is home to a regiment due to return soon from a year of service in Iraq. The 4,000-strong 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, in Iraq since last March, is to return sometime in March or April. It is to be replaced by a brigade from the 1st Cavalry Division in Fort Hood, Texas, as part of a larger troop rotation announced earlier by the Pentagon (news - web sites).

After the speech, Bush was lunching with National Guard members at the base. Thousands of Guard troops have trained at Fort Polk in recent months.

The president's visit is bound to serve as a reminder of a story that consumed the White House last week: Bush's record of service in the Texas Air National Guard in the early 1970s.

At issue is whether he showed up for service in Alabama after receiving permission to serve there temporarily in 1972-1973. Bush says he recalls serving there, but there is scant documentation proving it.

Late Friday, the White House released hundreds of pages of documents it said comprised Bush's entire military record, but the records offered no definitive answers.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) has kept silent on the flap in recent days, but he used Bush's trip to Louisiana to criticize the president's treatment of the military.

"With Kerry, veterans will have a veteran in the White House who fights to make sure they get the benefits they deserve," Kerry said.

Kerry said Bush's policies had threatened to undermine troops' pay, health care and battlefield protection.

"John Kerry will keep America's promise to those who served their country bravely," the Democratic presidential front-runner said.

The base Bush was visiting houses the Army's Joint Readiness Training Center for training exercises with the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.

Fort Polk is also home to a variety of units — the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment affiliated with the XVIII Airborne Corps, and the Warrior Brigade, which contains several units with early deploying wartime missions. Medical, dental and military police commands are also assigned to the post.

The Fort Polk has played a role in the war on terrorism by providing training for the Army's light infantry and special operations forces and by deploying troops to Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle. Fort Polk soldiers also participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

[Lauratealeaf]

Fort Polk is a pretty ugly place but the land of Louisiana is pretty. I love all the pine trees. My son was stationed at Polk for three years and met his wife in Alexandria. Some nice, God fearing people live there. Not to mention all our great troops!

[GailA]

http://www.fra.org/mil-up/milup-archive/11-16-00-milup.html

Health Chief: TRICARE for Elderly Doesn't Mean Enrollment in Prime November 16, 2000 Service elderly will gain access to TRICARE Standard, which in stateside areas will become a ``second payer'' plan, or insurance supplement, to Medicare. Overseas, where Medicare is unavailable, 25,000 elderly beneficiaries will begin using TRICARE Standard next October as their primary medical insurance. But that ``doesn't mean,'' said Clinton, ``that [elderly] have automatic access to an MTF [Military Treatment Facility] or to a program that's a sub-component of TRICARE'' such as TRICARE Prime. ``To the extent that we can make that available, after we decide what our size and our mission ought to be...we can't determine that. So it's not an enrollment process.'' A concern, besides time, is cost. Opening TRICARE to service elderly could add $3 billion to the fiscal 2002 defense health budget. A more robust pharmacy benefit for seniors, which begins April 1, will cost $400 million next year and $800 million in 2002. One way to hold down TRICARE costs is to keep beneficiaries 65 and older out of the military health care system so Medicare serves as their primary insurance and TRICARE as second payer. Enrolling tens of thousands of beneficiaries 65 and older in TRICARE Prime would have a reverse effect. Persons 65 and older, said Clinton, incur medical costs at three to four the rate of all other military beneficiaries.

[Happy2BMe]

Thank you GailA for the really good info on veteran's funding increases under George W. Bush.

It is the VETERAN, not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the courts
who has given us the right to keep and bear arms

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician,
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN, who salutes the Flag,

and serves under the flag.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD,
AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT
SHINE UPON THEM.

[Happy2BMe]

We spent last Fri, Sat, Sun in Alexandria so our son could come over and visit us just prior to leaving for Iraq.

We took him back to Fort Polk on Sunday night.

We looked for a good place to eat on Thursday and were told by everyone to go to Cajun's Landing in Alexandria. Our son got a ride over to us in a humvee, and we drove in a POV over to Cajun's Landing.

We walked into C.L. 8 PM, our son still in his desert BDUs and holding his two-month old baby daughter. The place was packed, we were starving, and the owner said it would be at least another 45 minutes, so we left.

Saturday was Valentine's Day.

My son had his heart set on some good Cajun cookin, so my wife calls over to C.L. early Saturday and requests a reservation for that night. The owner said, sorry, full up - NO RESERVATIONS. Being the persistent type she is (and having spent 20 years as a military spouse), she informed the owner that Saturday night would be the last meal our son and his wife would eat together for a year.

The owner said, we'll squeeze him in. Tell them to be here at 5 sharp.

Son and wife arrive and are seated by the fireplace (it's raining cold outside). Son "goes wild" on the menu - no holds barred - he orders the works.

He said it was the best food he's ever eaten - Etofee, seafood bisque, Jumbolaya - Hot Dam!

Son and wife ask for the check. Waitress: No charge, soldier - courteousy of the owner of Cajun Landing - Mr. McDonald.

Son just called me about an hour ago while the President was speaking from Fort Polk. Dad - you got the tube on? The President is here right now, speaking to us IN PERSON!

He was proud to be an American.

So am I.

[mystery-ak]

HOOAH.....God speed to your son...hang in there...I can't say the time goes fast, it does not...I can't say you won't be a nervous wreck, you will be....but you have friends and prayers here to help get you through....contact me anytime you want.....my hubby's time is short, after 4 extensions he will be home in May....he's been gone since Feb03......

[MeekOneGOP]

What a great story ! Thanks ...

[Lauratealeaf]

My daughter-in-law's parents live near Alec (which is what the locals call Alexandria) in a woodsy place called Dry Prong. They are very proud of President Bush too.

[Lauratealeaf]

I'm so glad that you were able to spend time with your son and your story was great. If you get another chance to go to Alexandria you must go to an Italian restaurant called Semolinas. It is great. We love it.

[deport]

That still doesn't explain a thing. So far you've made the accusation twice but nothing to explain why...... and added the caveat of being the United States of America's Ass.....

[hershey]

Thank you for the wonderful news about how you spent this past weekend, and I'm so glad Cajun's Landing's owner, Mr. McDonald has his heart in the right place -- obviously, a proud American. God keep your son safe, while he's in Iraq, and you all, too. I hope you'll keep us updated from time to time when you get news. Thanks again for thinking of us when you had such a busy weekend. We're always here for you.

[mystery-ak]

When my hubby trained there in the mid 70's it was an old very, very run down base....barracks were barely liveable....the whole base was like this, living conditions for troops and their families were deplorable....a coat of white paint did not hide the crumbling buildings...the climate and bugs were terrible, and they trained in swamps...everybody who has been to Polk, especially in those years, referred to it as a hellhole.....that is what I was referring to.....above posters have said that Polk has been updated which the troops deserve.

[deport]

You reckon hubby learned a little about surviving in deplorable conditions amongst the swamps, climate and bugs especially in a hell hole located in the As$ of the United States? I bet he did.....

I suspect by the mid-70s it was a mess due to the Vietnam war pull out and troop reductions, etc. Polk was set up in the mid to late 60s to similate Nam in an effort to train troops for surviving the conditions they were expected to encounter over there... [Tiger Land and Tiger Village] ... Pine trees and red sandy clay hills don't normally exist in swamps......

Anyway I was just curious why you felt the way you expressed yourself..... Take care and have a good one.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

We spent last Fri, Sat, Sun in Alexandria so our son could come over and visit us just prior to leaving for Iraq.

I wish your son the best of luck. He'll be back in the good ol' USA before you know it.

[mystery-ak]

All that you said is true,it was one of the main training camps for Nam.. I can't help that the soldiers referred to Polk as a hellhole.....have a nice evening.

[Howlin]

I will keep your son and your family in my prayers for the duration.

And I'll as kayak to add him to the list.

God speed, Son of Happy2BMe.

[JavaTheHutt]

I have some good pics I took during his visit, if anyone can post them, I can email or freep mail them to you. I'm having trouble getting through the firewall to get pics posted

[JavaTheHutt]

I hope this meeting will be televised and President Bush works his magic with the Gaurd soldiers like he usually does.

You make it sound like he uses a jedi mind trick to brainwash us. I told my mom earlier tonight that the entire time he was here, we tried to show him that we support him as much as everyone supports us. We didn't require him to pull a rabbit out of a hat.

[Happy2BMe]

I'm checking on a host for your pics. Will get back to ya.

[Dubya]

bump for good post.

[Sean Osborne Lomax]

That is OUTSTANDING!!!!!