Posted on 09/29/2004 3:06:06 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
And it's not even technically correct. While they removed him from flight or flying status, they did not take away his pilots wings nor AFSC. He could have gone back to Texas, or transferred to a Reserve unit, or another state's Guard unit, taken the physical, taken refresher or conversion training (to a different aircraft) and gone back flying. He wasn't required to do that, but he could have. IF he could find a unit that needed pilots, which would have been somewhat problematic in 1973.
OK guys, it is getting a bit ridiculous. You have spent 100's of man hours insuring GWB dotted all his i's, and crossed all his t's, durring his tour in the TANG. Bush has been vetted. Don't you think it is about time to give the new, unknown, kid on the block a little vetting? I have never seen anything like this. The AP won't go anywhere near Kerry's service record with a ten foot pole, even though there are ligitimate questions about it.
Excuse me if I am wrong....but isn't it the challenger who should be undergoing the vetting process, and the majority of the scrutiny?
I would at least like to hear one reporter from the AP ask Kerry why he won't sign form 180, releasing all his military records.
I see AP didn't bother to provide the (loaded) questions they asked.
But heck, why should he give up such benefits as Dem judges feeding him secret information?
Filing for Kerry's records would mean he would have to work as a reporter.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Im suing AP to get them to release their dental records
Im suing AP to get them to release their dental records
Where's the guy with the "Not this Sh!t Again" picture? When are they going to stop asking these "Have you stopped beating your wife yet" questions?
http://www.gopusa.com/commentary/guest/2004/jw_0920.shtml
I can say from my experience that flying operational fighter jets is highly dangerous. People don't strap fighter jets to their backside if they are overly concerned for their future. While in F-105 training at McConnell AFB in early 1968, we lost five aircraft in six weeks (one aircraft crashed in air-to-air combat training; one aircraft crashed on the air-to-ground gunnery range; one crashed on take off; one crashed on final approach at a nearby airfield; and one crashed coming back from a cross-country mission). My nephew was killed while flying a Marine Corp EA-6B Prowler during a low level state-side training mission. I was in a flight where an F-105 pilot was killed while we were training on an air-ground gunnery range. Also, I've been in F -105 and F-111 operational units where a number of pilots were killed while training for their war time mission. We got really good at flying "Missing Man Formations" and doing memorial services for our fallen comrades and their families. I can assure you that Lt. Bush was continuously exposed to similar dangers during all weather scrambles and during training exercises as evidenced by the F-102 pilots killed in his unit.
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I know the one you are looking for but that site delinked the 102 article and I can't get it now.
http://www.nationalreview.com/script/printpage.asp?ref=/babbin/babbin200402190855.asp
Dubya’s Wing Men
The lessons of Vietnam were different for Bush and Kerry.
This is revolting. If the AP spent one tenth the effort demanding Kerry's military records, it would have become a huge campaign issue by now.
I wish the SwiftVets would run an add scrolling through the many documents Kerry has NOT released.
http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/002441.html
This has the text without the pictures of that excellent article...(Google F102, Bush)
Too bad these people can't get just as concerned about Islamic terrorism and the very real threats this country CURRENTLY faces!
Ah, a laser-like focus. Will someone tell the AP to give it up already? There is nothing they're going to "find". Maybe they could submit questions to the Kerry Kamp about their relationship to CBS. The AP has demonstrated that when they want to dig they can, so let's see what they do with a REAL scandal.
Too bad we'll never see them do that.
The F-102 claimed the lives of many pilots, including a number stationed at Ellington during Bush's tenure. Of the 875 F-102A production models that entered service, 259 [29.6%] were lost in accidents that killed 70 Air Force and ANG pilots [27%, 8% pilot death rate overall, assuming one pilot per plane]. Nevertheless, we have established that the F-102 was serving in combat in Vietnam at the time Bush enlisted to become an F-102 pilot. In fact, pilots from the 147th FIG of the Texas ANG were routinely rotated to Vietnam for combat duty under a program called "Palace Alert" from 1968 to 1970.Palace Alert was an Air Force program that sent qualified F-102 pilots from the ANG to bases in Europe or southeast Asia for periods of three to six months for frontline duty. Fred Bradley, a friend of Bush's who was also serving in the Texas ANG, reported that he and Bush inquired about participating in the Palace Alert program. However, the two were told by a superior, MAJ Maurice Udell, that they were not yet qualified since they were still in training and did not have the 500 hours of flight experience required. Furthermore, ANG veteran COL William Campenni, who was a fellow pilot in the 111th FIS at the time, told the Washington Times that Palace Alert was winding down and not accepting new applicants.
Military aviation is a inherently dangerous profession, especially TACAIR. That F-102 had the aerodynamics of a lawn dart.
On another post with the President's Fitreps his final 1972 report mentions that he transferred to Alabama in a Non Flying Status on 15 May 1972. Since he transfered to a non flying billet, the July 1972 Flight Physical was not required and is a non issue. At the time of his transfer to the non flying billet his 1971 physical hadn't expired.
The lies have to stop.
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