Posted on 09/16/2004 9:17:20 PM PDT by Merry
"Bush served his country without pay"
The following is a post written by a regular reader of this site known to those who visit the comments section as "Oak Leaf". He is an active reservist with over twenty years of service that includes both the National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. He has extensive experience in personnel programs management and has served on the faculty at a senior service college. Air Guard Service Without Pay
When George W. Bush joined the Texas Air National Guard, a component of the US Air Force, he entered into a six year statutory service obligation. On December 1, 1969 he signed DD Form 1644 "Ready Reserve Service Agreement" which states, "I agree to be a member of the Ready Reserve until 26 May 1974." I first need to explain that the ready reserve is all reserve soldiers that are members of both "drilling units" and to the "individual ready reserve" which is simply a pool of individuals that can be called to active duty. When you review the "officer record brief" of 1LT George W. Bush, you find that on October 1, 1973 he was discharged from the Texas Air National Guard and re-assigned to the Air Reserve Personnel Center (Individual Ready Reserve). He remained assigned to the Air Reserve Personnel Center until he was ultimately discharged the following May. To a civilian this is slightly confusing because the Texas discharge makes it appear that he was completely discharged from the military, but this is not correct. The discharge simply reflects that he is no longer affiliated with the Military Department of the State of Texas. Yes, each state has a "Military Department."
With every enlistment in the reserves an "Acknowledgement of Service Obligations" is part of the enlistment contract. It states, "You will be required to attend all scheduled unit training assemblies unless you are excused by proper authority. If you accrue 9 or more unexcused absences during any continuous 365 day period you may be declared an unsatisfactory participant." Each month a reserve unit is required to complete a "Record of Reserve Training" that lists all assigned members of that unit. Each four hour period on that list represents a training assembly and you will be coded with either P (present), E (excused), U (unexcused) or ET/RST ("other training"). Had 1LT Bush received nine U's he would have been declared an unsatisfactory participant. If you missed two weekends and one morning you would have 9 U's. Because this never occurred, it means that he was either granted E's as an excused absence or performed equivalent training (ET). That alone verifies he met his obligation
The old media remains extremely focused on the performance of duties that meets that old saying, "one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer." That saying falls in line with "my recruiter lied to me." Civilians would be astonished to discover that many reservists perform duties without pay. In reviewing my own records, 13% of my reserve man days in my first six years were without pay and surprisingly while a college student, 21% of my reserve man days were performed without pay. A search of the web led me to AF Form 1288 (front/back) in which 1LT Bush requests duty in Alabama on May 24, 1972. Block 17 shows that the request is "no pay, training category G." In the approval section, it is clearly disclosed that this is "pay group none." Why is this important? Regardless, of the ultimate unit he ended up training with, it shows that 1LT Bush was willing to train without pay. The old media remains focused on pay records!! In regards to pay records, USA Today states, "They show he was paid for 82 days in 1972 and 1973, but show no service for five months between April and October 1972." Pay records would show no service during this time period because he was not paid! 1LT Bush served his country without pay. That is why there is no pay record.
1LT Bush can be "faulted" for one thing and that is keeping his retirement points correct. I need to point out that, "It is the soldier's responsibility to insure that his or her retirement points are correct."
1LT Bush was "responsible" for getting those retirement points posted to his record. I would assume that the records were sent forward and there was never any follow up because he chose not to serve 20 years. Because he earned at least 50 points for each year of service meeting the requirement of a satisfactory year there was just no incentive to pursue further record updating. In my own reserve career, I am still trying to correct unpaid duty records that go back 20 years. I have three comments on Oak Leaf's post. First, I want to thank him for taking the time to review these documents and to write such a detailed, yet clear and easy to follow analysis. Second, I think one reason the media has done such a pathetic job covering these matters is because they do not have enough people within their ranks with any military experience. Third, this point that Oak Leaf makes illustrates one more stark contrast between President Bush and Senator Kerry. Bush evidently worked without pay, and probably, due to inadequate follow-up on the paperwork, without any recognition for that time. John Kerry went to ridiculous lengths to document every bruise and scratch he got in Vietnam, and to make sure every activity he was engaged in was not only written up for awards, but was even recreated and memorialized on film. Isn't that just everything voters need to know about the character of these two men in a nutshell?
It appears so. Of course, if you notice the dems are only pushing his silver spoon access and missing his medical exam. They have nothing better to do I guess. Duh. They ought to have an opponent who is so filthy rich with misdeeds that its hard to keep track of all the documentation we are getting! LOL! Far more fun than chasing red herrings!
ARRRHGHGH. Old Media. Old Media Old Media. They are no long "main stream" We are the mainstream.
(raising hand) Um...looking into ways to prove that even though the documents are completely bogus, the public should believe what the forgers said?
1LT Bush can be "faulted" for one thing and that is keeping his retirement points correct. I need to point out that, "It is the soldier's responsibility to insure that his or her retirement points are correct."
1LT Bush was "responsible" for getting those retirement points posted to his record. I would assume that the records were sent forward and there was never any follow up because he chose not to serve 20 years. Because he earned at least 50 points for each year of service meeting the requirement of a satisfactory year there was just no incentive to pursue further record updating.
Bush's campaign template is that, at the time that Kerry came back from Vietnam, Kerry had a better resume than Bush did - but neither was then qualified for the presidency. Bush wants to be judged on his tenure in political office as POTUS and as governor of Texas.Kerry's campaign template is that there is so much difference between their respective service records that Kerry should be coronated rather than having to present a coherent agenda for the future or to answer any questions about his past, whether as a senator or even as a Navy Lieutenant.
This template cannot pass the laugh test unless 1LT Bush's resume can be made to look actually dishonorable. That implies the absolute need to turn Bush's honorable discharge into a scandal. The upshot is that noted Democrat operative Dan Rather finds himself boasting that if the Japanese ever attack Pearl Harbor he will break the story.
Maybe this is a cheap shot, but in my estimation (and experience), the only experience most liberals have with the military is in two areas: 1. How to get out of serving; 2. How to work the system--i.e., collecting education and paychecks without (again) actually having to serve.
Certainly sets the record straight ....again.
Need to be forwarded to all the usual guys on our side of the fence.
Media bias bump.
Brilliant! (still laughing--someone should have posted a coffee spew warning though!)
No, it can be presented in an understandable format. A talented writer can make it both simple and clear. I think it's urgent that someone does just that, too.
"due to inadequate follow-up on the paperwork, without any recognition for that time".
That has been my assumption about the Alabama time. If he had been Kerry-minded he would have MADE SURE to have gotten points and a written evaluation from AL IF HE HAD TO TYPE THEM HIMSELF! (humor)
The MSM is SO dense with this stuff. Re: Blathers stupid list of stupid questions:
1. The honorable discharge TRUMPS the intervening records and rumors. Are they saying he did not deserve his honorable discharge? If so, then they are smearing a lot more Guardesmen than Lt Bush.
2. The list of questions was repudiated by the standing ovation President Bush got at the convention of the NG Assoc. when he said -- standing there in his role as their Commander in Chief -- that he was PROUD of his Guard service. Doesn't sound to me like there are any "questions" about his National Guard service from those who should know and care most about it.
I can see a youthful Kerry dreaming of the day when he accepts the nomination for President. "Reporting for duty" has probably played in his head thousands of times.
Many of us had quick childhood fantasies of growing up to be President. How many of us staged campaign footage? How many of us schemed for a war resume?
Most of us realized that the President's job is the worst job you can have. Most of realized we are unqualified to command. Most of us grew up.
Kerry consciously designed his life to one day be President. Like the Euro-elite he emulates, he believes it is his destiny and birthright. Kerry is a self-made man. He sculpted his resume. He even sculpted his face. I suspect he chose his hobbies because he thought the photoshots would make him look good. Yes, Kerry is a self-made man, but he is a poor artisan. He created a doofus.
my girlfriend is in the minnesota national gaurd in the band, she hasnt had a free weekend in months, and many weekday nights most without pay. its the nature of the job, she can justify it because she does get the retirement points and loves her job and position. I, on the other hand, was released from active duty but I am still part of inactive reserves, i am still in the navy, try explaining that to most people its not even worth the hassle.
Does either Hannity or Rush have this?
Good stuff!
"Kerry is a self-made man. He sculpted his resume. He even sculpted his face. . . . Yes, Kerry is a self-made man, but he is a poor artisan. He created a doofus."
excellent - this needs to be published somewhere
Ping.
Great informative read re: why there are no pay records for 1LT Bush in latter part of 1972...he opted to serve without pay in order to get a transfer he wanted! If only the media and 'Rats were intelligent enough to understand the Reserve system!
I didn't know that! Thanks for telling us.
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