Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Memos State Bush Failed to Meet Standards, Refused Direct Order
AP ^ | 9 Sep 04 | Peter Yost

Posted on 09/09/2004 6:07:17 AM PDT by xzins

WASHINGTON (AP) - Newly unearthed memos state George W. Bush was suspended from flying for the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam war because he failed to meet Guard standards and failed to take his annual flight physical as required. The suspension came as Bush was trying to arrange a transfer to non-flying status with a unit in Alabama so he could work on a political campaign there.

A memo written a year later referred to one military official "pushing to sugar coat" Bush's annual evaluation.

"On this date I ordered that 1st Lt. Bush be suspended from flight status due to failure to perform to USAF/TexANG standards and failure to meet annual physical examination ... as ordered," says an Aug. 1, 1972 memo by Lt. Col. Jerry Killian, who is now dead.

The same memo notes that Bush was trying to transfer to non-flying status out of state and recommends that the Texas unit fill his flying slot "with a more seasoned pilot from the list of qualified Vietnam pilots that have rotated."

The Vietnam-era documents add details to the bare-bones explanation of Bush's aides over the years that he was suspended simply because he decided to skip his flight physical.

The White House said in February that it had released all records of Bush's service, but one of Killian's memos stated it was "for record" and another directing Bush to take the physical exam stated that it was "for 1st Lt. George W. Bush."

"I can't explain why that wouldn't be in his record, but they were found in Jerry Killian's personal records," White House communications director Dan Bartlett told CBS's "60 Minutes II," which first obtained the memos.

Bartlett said Bush's superiors granted permission to train in Alabama in a non-flying status and that "many of the documents you have here affirm just that."

A memo dated May 19, 1972, five days after Bush was supposed to have completed his physical, summarizes a telephone discussion with Bush about how he "can get out of coming to drill from now through November." It says Bush was "told he could do ET for three months or transfer." ET referred to equivalent training, a procedure for meeting training requirements without attending regularly scheduled drills.

The same memo says "we talked abut him getting his flight physical situation fixed" and quotes Bush as saying he would "do that in Alabama if he stays in a flight status." It also says, I advised him of our investment in him and his commitment."

Democratic Party chairman Terry maculae said, "George W. Bush's cover story on his National Guard service is rapidly unraveling. ... George W. Bush needs to answer why he regularly mislead the American people about his time in the Guard and who applied political pressure on his behalf to have his performance reviews 'sugarcoated'"

Bartlett told CBS, "As it says in your own documents, President Bush talked to the commanders about the fact that he'd be transferring to a unit ... in Alabama that didn't fly that plane," the F-102, the type Bush was trained in.

Using only last names, one of the newly disclosed documents points to sharp disagreement among Bush's superiors in Texas over how to evaluate his performance for the period from mid-1972 through mid-1973.

"Stuart has obviously pressured Hedges more about Bush," Killian wrote on Aug. 18, 1973. "I'm having trouble running interference and doing my job - Harris gave me a message today from Grip (a headquarters unit) regarding Bush's OETR (officer efficiency training report) and Stuart is pushing to sugar coat it. Bush wasn't here during rating period and I don't have any comments from 187th in Alabama. I will not rate."

The memo concludes: "Harris took the call from Grip today. I'll backdate but won't rate. Harris agrees."

At the time, Walter B. Stuart was commander of the Texas National Guard; Lt. Col. Bobby Hedges was one of Bush's superiors in Texas who two years earlier had rated Bush an outstanding young pilot; and Lt. Col. William D. Harris Jr. was another superior of Bush's.

Records released this year when Bush's military service re-emerged as a campaign issue contain no evidence that he showed up for duty at all for five months in mid-1972 and document only a few occasions later that year.

Asked about Killian's statement in a memo about the military's investment in Bush, Bartlett told CBS: "For anybody to try to interpret or presume they know what somebody who is now dead was thinking in any of these memos, I think is very difficult to do."


TOPICS: Editorial; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2004; ang; awol; bush; campaign; guard; nationalguard; pilot; tang
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 next last

1 posted on 09/09/2004 6:07:18 AM PDT by xzins
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: All
The White House said in February that it had released all records of Bush's service, but one of Killian's memos stated it was "for record" and another directing Bush to take the physical exam stated that it was "for 1st Lt. George W. Bush."

For record does not mean "For the Personal Records Jacket of George Bush." It's a term that means "to be filed" for his personal future reference.

To "1st Lt Bush" does not mean it goes into the personal records Jacket. It means that Bush gets a copy of what the commander's thinking.

Again and again it's apparent that these folks simply don't understand how the military works.

2 posted on 09/09/2004 6:07:49 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army and Proudly Supporting BUSH/CHENEY 2004!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xzins

Liberal reporters have an anti-military mindset and they think the worst of any one who's done military service. This mindset explains why they are going hammers and tongs after Bush but going gentle on Kerry since he shares their loathing of the military lifestyle and culture.


3 posted on 09/09/2004 6:11:07 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

In the Army today, there is an item called "Memorandum for Record" that does not mean it goes into the personal records jacket of anyone mentioned in the memo.

It means that it's for the writer's personal files for future reference.

The above memo's were found in the writer's personal files.

There are strictly defined rules on what goes into any individual soldier's Personal Records.


4 posted on 09/09/2004 6:15:46 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army and Proudly Supporting BUSH/CHENEY 2004!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: xzins
The stupid media does good to understand what they write or say. They haven't a clue how the military works. It gets amusing except I do know that many sheeple take this crap at face value.
5 posted on 09/09/2004 6:16:50 AM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (I'm Conspiracy Guy and I approve this message. "John Kerry is a liar!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: xzins

How did he get suspended without it going in his real file, not just Killian's double-secret-probation file?


6 posted on 09/09/2004 6:17:32 AM PDT by nina0113
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xzins
More than all this at least President Bush wasn't the one who wrote all the reports for his official record.

Seems that JFKerry took advantage of those who detested the responsibility of recording keeping for his own advantage and medal scams.

These people apparently know that if JFKerry releases his military records that it will be shown he is the author of them.
7 posted on 09/09/2004 6:17:42 AM PDT by Just mythoughts
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: xzins

Note to AP: Bush is running on his record from the past four years. Get it?


8 posted on 09/09/2004 6:20:40 AM PDT by sarasota
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Conspiracy Guy
The stupid media does good to understand what they write or say. They haven't a clue how the military works. It gets amusing except I do know that many sheeple take this crap at face value.

I really don't think that the voters still up for grabs care at all about what Bush did or didn't do 35 years ago.

Maybe 4 years ago, when Bush was an unknown commodity. But now they have seen him in action for the past four years and know very well what to expect from him.

For Kerry, his behavior 35 years ago is more relevant, since voters don't have a lot of information about him, and he has made his Viet Nam career the cornerstone of his campaign.

9 posted on 09/09/2004 6:22:23 AM PDT by Maceman (Too nuanced for a bumper sticker)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Conspiracy Guy
The same memo says "we talked abut him getting his flight physical situation fixed" and quotes Bush as saying he would "do that in Alabama if he stays in a flight status."</font color="red"> It also says, I advised him of our investment in him and his commitment."

The underlined, red section above is key.

This commander is ACKNOWLEDGING that Lt Bush is legitimately putting the physical OFF until Alabama.

The commander is ACKNOWLEDGING that there might NOT be flight status there for Lt Bush.

The commander ALLOWS a Lieutenant to tell him IF. (IF -- read that.) It is a contingency. And the COMMANDER accepts it.

I'd love to see this entire memo instead of these carefully crafted excerpts from it.

10 posted on 09/09/2004 6:22:35 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army and Proudly Supporting BUSH/CHENEY 2004!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: xzins

blah, blah, blah


11 posted on 09/09/2004 6:23:16 AM PDT by tx_eggman ("There is no safety for honest men but by believing all possible evil of evil men." --Edmund Burke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xzins
How this?

No debate till Senator Kerry signs Form-180!

12 posted on 09/09/2004 6:23:46 AM PDT by TexasCajun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xzins
The memos appear to be cr*p

Top is the "memo". Bottom is from documents provided by Bush.

13 posted on 09/09/2004 6:24:56 AM PDT by AndrewC (I am a Bertrand Russell agnostic, even an atheist.</sarcasm>)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: xzins

this just in from (kr)AP...We are still kicking, no beating this dead horse into the ground.. repeat..we are beating this dead horse into the ground..more info or more of the same later..


14 posted on 09/09/2004 6:26:01 AM PDT by BerniesFriend
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xzins

What matters here is not what the media report but how the Bush campaign responds to it. If the President takes the bait, it will hurt him. If he doesn't, it won't. People will only care about it if the President becomes unhinged over it the way Kerry did over the Swiftees. And the Bush campaign can even spin this back, if the Bush family were really so evil and diabolical, and President Bush's actions during that time something horrible that had to be covered up (i.e. drug use, that's what the Left is after and still haven't found that smoking gun) these records would have been destroyed and never found.


15 posted on 09/09/2004 6:27:02 AM PDT by Dems_R_Losers (Proud to be a Reagan Alumna!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Dems_R_Losers

People knew about Clinton's transgressions, didn't stop them from voting for him twice. Why can't the Rats understand that throwing these kind of allegations is going to end up sinking them even deeper? Oh well, stupid is as stupid does.


16 posted on 09/09/2004 6:29:15 AM PDT by dfwgator (It's sad that the news media treats Michael Jackson better than our military.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Conspiracy Guy

The media knows exactly what it is doing.


17 posted on 09/09/2004 6:32:20 AM PDT by dalebert
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Maceman

I say through Viet Nam out of bothe sides. Even Kerry's Anti-US/Pro-Commie post war activities. Then look at Bush's 3.5 years as Commander in Chief and Kerry's 20 year senate record.

That is a loss for Kery as well. Basically Kerry is a loser in any match up.


18 posted on 09/09/2004 6:34:28 AM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (I'm Conspiracy Guy and I approve this message. "John Kerry is a liar!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: xzins

The memo where Killian notes Bush said he'd take the physical if he maintained his flight status shows, as usual, that GWB has been straight forward all along.

This is nothing that wasn't known before. Additional information that buttresses, not new that contradicts.


19 posted on 09/09/2004 6:35:50 AM PDT by cyncooper (We're mad as Zell and we're not going to take it anymore!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xzins

Exactly. When I first read the memo last night that jumped out at me. Killian does not say he told Bush he couldn't do that.

Once again, the media is misrepresenting the significance and meaning of the memo.


20 posted on 09/09/2004 6:38:09 AM PDT by cyncooper (We're mad as Zell and we're not going to take it anymore!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson