I have an O family member/voter, who has a BA and MA, and informed me that she learned from a “conservative” professor that Bush’s parents bought his way into the Guard to keep him safe! This is the kind of idiocy a student hears in graduate school?! And the sad part is the kid really believes this and thinks her teacher was a conservative. My tag line becomes ever more appropriate.
Its an argument that doesn’t hold water and reflects a complete ignorance of the times. Had Bush wished to avoid the dangers associated with Vietnam and limited the time that he was required to serve, he would have made a far different choice. He could have joined a Guard or Reserve unit in a role that required no responsibility and contained no risk of danger. Or, he could have received a commission for two years of active duty in a branch that ensured that he would not see contact. His family’s political connections could have seen to it.
Instead, he joined the Air National Guard and trained as a fighter pilot. This reqiured more active duty time than the two years required of reserve officers commissioned from ROTC or from draftees. Moreover, Bush flew the F-106, a very demanding aircraft that had a high accident rate. I believe that he chose the Air National Guard route because he wanted to fly as his father had done and this was the best choice for him to realize that ambition.
The undeniable fact is that he served his country in a very dangerous role. I don’t recall that Barack Obama or Bill Clinton ever chose to serve their country in uniform.