This paragraph leads me to believe that Bush applied to be a pilot, but of the pilot slots available, he was accepted because he had no qualms about flying the F-102 which was slated for use for National Air Defense against incoming Soviet bombers/fighters. Essentially, air to air combat... Not to mention, the F-102 seems to have been known to be a difficult and dangerous jet to fly.
I think if Bush had known that he would be in public office now, he might have made other decisions. I think he was ready and willing to answer the call of the country in 1968. In fact, on article quotes a fellow pilot of Bush that he and Bush asked to be included in a rotation for fighter pilots to Vietnam but were denied due to a lack of pilot hours.
This points to a man who is not afraid, but nor is he reckless. He considered his options. When he felt confident, he asked to be considered for combat rotation. When it became apparent that he would not serve as a combat jet fighter, and as combat experienced pilots were being rotated back from Vietnam, he finally made the decision to pursue another career option.
To begin with, he chose a transitional occupation. He decided to work for a couple of political campaigns. That led somehow led to an interest in business, which is no surprise, due to the diversity of people who work in campaigns, I would not be surprised if he met others who encouraged him to pursue a career in business.
As a result, he decided to do just that. Nothing in GWB's past suggests that he was ever a malcontent, a live and let be, or a hippie. Everything points to the fact that regardless, he always stuck to what he chose, and even if he didn't always excel he finished it. That is a marker of character.
So, he put in for an early discharge, and in light of the returning fighter pilots, he was no longer in demand in the air national guard. After completing his requirements for that year, he was honorably discharged to pursue an MBA. If you look at his record prior to 1972 you will see a pilot dedicated to mastering his chosen profession. When his profession no longer appeared in demand, he chose to do a little bit of soul searching and thinking.
The record shows that Bush has made no FALSE claims as to his service. It has been exactly as he described it. GWB's life has been one of fulfilling his commitments. Even the DUI charge shows his character. He was amicable, he paid his fine, he didn't challenge the penalty against him... In other words, he took it like a man.
When Bush realized he had a drinking problem... He took it like a man! He didn't enroll in a program. He didn't join AA or a support group. No, he gave his life to God, and he chose the path to which he committed himself and to which he has remained faithful and loyal. It is a path that has led him to the here and now.
In 2000, and the years running up to it, I believe Bush believed the lies the Clinton administration put out about the economy. He thought that he would have a chance to implement his philosophy of compassionate conservatism with an increasing tax revenue, and a growing economy. Independent analysis of the Clinton era shows that they started cooking the Federal books toward the end of his administration.
Bush walked right into a recession, and then a war. Neither of these were his fault, but he isn't one to cry. He pushed through his tax cuts with a few modifications to get the money out to tax payers sooner than the usual tax refund cycle. He found himself fighting a war he didn't know he'd be fighting. Sure, I've checked and he did think that terrorism was a threat, but not the type of threat that proved itself on 9/11. He thought it was something the FBI and the CIA were on top of. He had every reason to believe they were on top of it because they said they were. He'd only been President for a short while, and he had worked hard to get his cabinet appointments in place, and there was no reason to disbelieve what he was being told. Nobody was telling him differently.
George W. Bush is a good man. He is the type of man who would rather be at home with his family than running the most powerful country in the world... Except for the fact that we are his family, and he doesn't tolerate his family heading in the wrong direction. He saw that something needed to be done, and he decided that he should be the one to do it. GWB is the type of man who look at social injustice and thinks about how to fix it... without throwing more money at it unless it is merited. He is the type of American I had hoped would occupy the Oval Office during my life time, and I am proud that it happened while I was still young.
Mr. Bush is a family man, an American, and he cares. He cares deeply, and if it wasn't for God and his Faith, George W. Bush would have tossed in the hanky long before now. God is on his side, but God gave us the Freedom of Choice.... and if we don't turn out and make our choice... who knows what will happen.
John Kerry is a bad man. He is an opportunist. An opportunist is not the type of man we want in charge of our country. An opportunist only looks after number one... themselves. This is on his record.
To think John Kerry can be summed in that one sentence... But he set himself up for it, and Bush - he is complex but simple. Easy to misunderstimate because he is just like the rest of us, but hard to understand because he has lived in politics his entire life. He maneuvers around his opponents with finesse, and he stays true to his convictions.
If there was ever a man I would vote for with my whole heart... It is him. George W. Bush for President in 2004, and four more years.
Who's with me? How silly of me... I'm preaching to the choir.
It is a common misconception that the Air National Guard was a safe place for military duty during the Vietnam War. In actuality, pilots from the 147th Fighter Interceptor Group, as it was called at the time, were actually conducting combat missions in Vietnam when Bush enlisted. In fact, Air Force F-102 squadrons had been stationed in South Vietnam since March 1962.So this was a deliberate choice very much unlike choosing Swift Boats when they had a coastal patrol duty, a duty which could probably also be said about the air defense role of the 102. Therefore, when both Bush and Kerry chose their assignment that would become a source of controversy today, Bush clearly chose the more dangerous assignment. Remember that the Navy only had 3 KIA when Kerry enlisted, way smaller than the number of pilots who lost their life in the 102.
This member of the choir appreciates reading positive reports. Thanks for taking the time.
Excellent post.
Not always.
Sometimes, we need to be reminded of just what kind of man it is who leads today.
You just did that.