Posted on 09/17/2004 12:56:21 PM PDT by Cableguy
The man cited in media reports as having allegedly pressured others in the Texas Air National Guard to help George W. Bush is speaking out, telling ABC News in an exclusive interview that he never sought special treatment for Bush.
Retired Col. Walter Staudt, who was brigadier general of Bush's unit in Texas, interviewed Bush for the Guard position and retired in March 1972. He was mentioned in one of the memos allegedly written by Lt. Col. Jerry Killian as having pressured Killian to assist Bush, though Bush supposedly was not meeting Guard standards.
"I never pressured anybody about George Bush because I had no reason to," Staudt told ABC News in his first interview since the documents were made public.
The memo stated that "Staudt is pushing to sugar coat" a review of Bush's performance.
Staudt said he decided to come forward because he saw erroneous reports on television. CBS News first reported on the memos, which have come under scrutiny by document experts who question whether they are authentic. Killian, the purported author of the documents, died in 1984.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Peter Jennings didn't think this news worthy enough to put on his evening news cast. Of course, if the news had been opposite, it would have led the news.
Staudt flatly contradicting Rather & one of the forged docs definitely qualifies as a substantive development.
Did Book 'em Danno comment on Staudt tonight? I was monitoring CBS Evening News but may have missed it.
What, Jennings didn't stick it to him today? I wonder what happened. Jennings really gave it to Rather a couple of days ago. Maybe Jennings is worried that his liberal viewers are getting pissed off.
one of the vagaries of the NG system is that ranks O7 and up (generals) must be recognized by the Pentagon. Often officers can achieve a "star" rank in their state NG but not be approved by Washington (usually because of lack of CGS - Command and General Staff school).
There are many instances of 1 and 2 star NG officers who cannot wear the rank at conferences and such. I figure the same rules apply for retirement ...
I have trouble believing any of what you wrote. I've been in the military for about 30 years, the last 5 in the personnel area, and I have never heard, or seen, anything like what you posted.
Can't speak for the Navy, but the Army structure still has O7 (brigadier general) ranks all over. They aren't temporary, they are Brigade level commanders (hence Brigadier). If you have a link about doing away with this rank, please let me know. Things could be changing, and I love to learn.
Ping!
"He may have been "brevetted" to Brigadier by the Governor of Texas, but it was never federally recognized for some reason."
Turns out his rank was not a brevet. My mistake. By state law brevet promotions are merely ceremonial.
However, he was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General in the Texas Air National Guard. His rank was never federally recognized. Therefore, he is inside Texas most definitely a General. Outside Texas, he is a General by courtesy, if extended, a Colonel by federal recognition.
Believe our current Adjutant General is in similar circumstances. Lt. General Wayne Marty was promoted to his rank in the Texas Army National Guard but is only federally recognized as a Major Genreral. Believe we are not authorized a Lt. General.
Generally the commander of multiple-unit outfits, such as a fleet, force, group, squadron, etc., is referred to as "Commander". For example, Commander Submarine Force, Pacific (COMSUBPAC), or Commander Submarine Squadron Seventeen. Commanders of individual units, such as a naval stations, naval facility, ship or sub, is usually referred to as "Commanding Officer". Well, that was the way it was when I was in the Navy.
Regarding the "Commodore" rank, it is no longer used. I found this site that explains:
The rank of commodore continued in the US Navy until 1899, when the Naval Personnel Act made all commodores into rear admirals. The reason, according to Laws Relating to the Navy, 1919, was "... on account of international relationships, the consideration of which caused the Navy Department to regard the complications confronting it as inimical to the honor and dignity of this nation, because of the adverse effect upon its high ranking representatives in their association with foreign officers." US commodores were not being treated as flag-level officers by other navies, or given the respect the Navy Department thought was their due.
As it would have been expensive to increase the pay of all the former commodores to the level of Rear Admirals, Congress specified that the lower half of the Rear Admiral list have pay equal to Brigadier Generals of the Army. If there were an odd number of Rear Admirals, the lower half of the list was to be the larger. All Rear Admirals, upper or lower half, were equal to major generals, flew a flag instead of a broad pennant, and were entitled to a thirteen gun salute. The Supreme Court held that the rank of Commodore had been removed from the navy, leaving it without a rank equivalent to Brigadier General. This act disgruntled Brigadier Generals, who could now be outranked by officers who were their juniors in terms of service. This was a point of inter-service controversy, and in 1916 the army made its Brigadier Generals equivalent to Rear Admirals (lower half). Thus, Rear Admirals (lower half) were equal to Major Generals, and Brigadier Generals were equal to Rear Admirals (lower half), but Major Generals still out-ranked Brigadier Generals.
During the naval expansion during World War II, the Navy Department was concerned that the appointment of more flag officers would create a glut of admirals after the war. However, some captains were holding commands of higher responsibility, and needed to be recognized. Admiral Ernest King proposed bringing back the old rank of commodore for these officers. President Roosevelt agreed, though he specified that this rank be restricted to line officers. The Navy's one-star officer reappeared in April 1943. In practice, staff corps officers could also become commodores. By the end of the war, there were over one hundred commodores in service. Very few of the wartime commodores were promoted to rear admiral. Promotions to commodore ended in 1947, and all had left the navy by 1950.
The one-star rank appeared again in 1982 with the title of "Commodore Admiral." The rank became simply "Commodore" the next year, and went back to rear admiral (lower half) in 1985. At that time it was mandated that rear admirals (lower half) would wear only one star, as the two stars authorized previously caused some resentment among US Army and US Air Force brigadier generals.
This just keeps getting worse and worse and WORSE for dandy Dan and cBS! GOODY...........hehehehehehehehehehehe
I remember the feeling back in 1998. Turnabout is sweet, ain't it?
My wife, who is never subtle or nuanced, says the candidate with the most testosterone will always win. That's gonna hurt us in 2008 when Hillary runs.
When stories are broken, look for CBS's fingerprints.
Not nearly as fortunate as Col. Staudt. God bless him!
It would depend on TIG -Time in Grade.
Pay grade would all depend on first if the rank was earned and not just worn.
It may be a One Star job title position, so he was acting Brig. Gen. But his true rank was COL.
LOLOL!!
Thanks for the ping!
The sunday morning talking head shows should be interesting. I wonder if by monday cBS will come out and admit that they screwed up? From what I understand the affiliates are catching a LOT of heat.
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