A Challenge to Sanford - Military Service

To settle once and for all whether Mark Sanford's direct commissioning into the Air Force Reserve, we have devised a way for the media and his opponents to keep a check on the situation.

As you will recall, Palmetto Journal first broke the story that Sanford was joining the military on 3/7/02. Articles in other media outlets reported that he was joining a medical squadron located at Charleston AFB. Other press reports indicated that Sanford would be required to be on active duty for training for two separate schools within the first year of his service - one school for 4 weeks, one for 8 weeks. These schools would be intensive training and would leave little time for any other activity, let alone running for office or running the state.

The reason for part of this further training lies in the fact that Sanford, who has a business degree and an MBA, does not have any medical experience. Some have pointed out that the purpose of the military even offering direct commissions is so that they may enjoy the service of professionals already qualified in fields including medicine, engineering, law and the ministry. Sanford's apparent short-circuiting of that process is part of the reason he has received criticism.

As it relates to the training, would Sanford realistically be able to challenge for the nomination for Governor if he was gone 4 weeks during the middle of it or 8 weeks later? Would he be able to successfully complete his transition if he was elected with one of these blocks of training in the middle of it? Would the people of SC really stand for their governor to be gone and not governing for 4 weeks or 8 weeks at a time for training? (Note: these 4 and 8 week training sessions don't include the 2 weeks of active duty training Sanford would be required to take part in every year.)

Another issue that may prove whether Sanford's AF Reserve service is not a stunt relates to monthly drill. Members of the media or any private citizen should follow Sanford's schedule as published in Sanford publications and on the internet, as well as following his press clippings. If Sanford is conducting full campaign days on Saturdays and Sundays on every weekend in any given month, then he may not be attending drill.

To find out exactly what is going on with Sanford's military service, we, on behalf of the voters, would challenge Mark Sanford to two things: 1. Complete the 4 and 8 week blocks of training within your first year of service and release the tentative dates scheduled for them now to the press. and 2. Release your drill schedule as far out as you have it.

Hopefully, none of this training will involve high-performance aircraft since we hear the last time Sanford flew in an F-16 he wound up having to use the air sickness bag.

Any citizen or member of the press can exercise the vigilance necessary to find out facts on this matter and once and for all put this matter to rest. Anyone with further information can send email to insider@palmettojournal.com

Hmmm... some info must be missing. Direct commissions for medical personnel (ie: physicians, dentists, registered nurses, veterinarians) are common, and no matter how medically qualified they are they end up going to basic officer training (Fort Sam Houston TEXAS!). RNs go in as butterbars, dentists and vets as first looeys, and physicians as captains on up. I've seen docs with surgical residencies go in as majors - with a few years time in grade which puts them in silver oak leaves in four or five years.

All officers are commissioned first into the reserves, and from there over the years apply for "volunteer indefinite" and "regular" status. Even after active duty or retirement they remain "reserve officers" (like a Roman Catholic marriage, 'til death do you part).

Sanford may be an MSC (medical service corps) type, also eligible for officer basic and advance courses at Ft. Sam. These non-medical medical personnel are the ones charged with keeping the military in military medicine ;-)

Not sure if I would look at it as a PR stunt. Understand that my view is colored by my own feelings after 9/11. I did 2 hitches in USAF and have been out for nearly 20 years. On 9/12, I was in contact with USAF Reserve Office. As soon as I could reach him (he was working rescue and cleanup) I also contacted a Lt.Col. friend who works at the Pentagon to see if I could get back in. I also read a tribute at vetscor.org yesterday to a father and his friends who left the football in the middle of the field and went straight to the recruiting office on a December Sunday in 1941. This guy may be at that same place in his feelings about wanting to serve his country.

I don't have the education or qualifications Mr. Sanford has so I got a "thanks but no thanks" from the AF. Nightowl tells us that the man at least has the strength of his convictions to stick to his promise of self-imposed term limits. That gives me a sense of the character of the man. Sounds like somebody I would like to meet--and vote for if I were in SC.

Add to all this the impression I get that this is a hatchet job by a news organization with its own agenda. It's obvious that the author does not want the man to succeed either in his military service or his campaign.

The pissy remark about getting airsick is also an indication that the jerk has never sat in a high performance aircraft. I know a lot of guys who would love to show the author a "good time" at 20,000 feet and 6G's. And they would laugh through the stench as they hosed the cockpit down afterward. I had the honor of a couple of rides in T-37 and T-38 aircraft when I was in USAF. If you go ahead and yak when the urge hits (and it will hit) you can enjoy the rest of the flight.

I congratulate Mr. Sanford in his efforts and wish him the best.

Mark Sanford is for nothing but Mark Sanford. First, he didn't need money from PACs (he pledged no Pac money for his Congressional run). He's a millionaire w/nothing better to do.

Mark Sanford went up for three terms so that he could run for something bigger and better in the future. After three terms, Congressmen get a pension! Why not two terms or four terms?Hmmm? Mark Sanford was not the first Congressman to sleep in his office. How assanine that must look to the world for a millionaire Congressman sleeping in his office - how so professional! Thank you Mark, you're a swell guy! If he was really trying to make a point of saving the taxpayer's money, why didn't he use his own money for housing and than he could still look professional.

By limiting himself (not allowing the people to do it by voting) to term limits, he lost plum! appointments to committees that South Carolina desperately needs. Our roads and bridges are nearly the worst in the United States as Boston spends another billion on their continuation of the tunnels and roads that have no end in site. Sen. Byrd continues to build beautiful roads in West Virginia that go nowhere and that no one drives on. I think South Carolina gets something like .20 somthing cents back for every dollar it sends to Washington! Alaska gets somewhere in the ballpark of 70 some cents.

Now for his newest issues for the state of South Carolina - Sanford's tax plan is a joke! This Sanford tax thing has not been out there long enough to get any good feedback, but on the face of it - an 18-year plan, I believe is a stupid political position to make a central theme out of. #1 - Most old voters, who vote - will be dead before it takes full effect, #2 and younger voters aren't looking 18 years in the future. As smart as Sanford is, he doesn't seem to realize that even the Communists had five year plans for almost everything because the common person could grasp five years.

Personnally, I think his 18-year tax reduction scheme is really a scheme that will be forgotten in 18 years - long after he has left the Governor's Mansion and no one will remember who or why it was implemented in the first place.

And his education package. Giving money to parents whose kids go to failing schools indeed - how many years before a school is considered failing - until your kid is out of it and on to the next one. What is the criteria of the failing schools? He leaves a lot of elbow room for his plan - like nailing jello to a wall.

Did anyone know - ALL of Sanford's children go to a very exclusive PRIVATE SCHOOL! Imagine a governor who is going to reform education and doesn't even have his children in the system he's going to reform for the "rest" of South Carolina's kids. Again, it seems like bread and circuses and unfortunately many voters will be pulled in.

And I haven't heard once from Mark Sanford that he is going to WORK with the Legislature. It's all about what Mark Sanford is going to do. He sounds like Buck Limehouse only he knows how to schmootz old people and smile a lot.

At this point, I'm pretty dis-illusioned (sp?) with nearly all of the candidates - I think I could settle on Jim Miles, but he's just too nice, not enough punch. Charlie comes across like a cross between the old (before humor) Bob Dole and Pat Buchannen. Peeler is boring and doesn't inspire - plus he's more of the Campbell machinary. I can't think of anything he's done while Lt. Gov. I'm not sure South Carolina is ready for a woman - a tough choice, but definately NOT Mark Sanford! I've seen all these guys speak, have spoken to them and I am stumped.

What I would like to see the governor do is let the voice of the people (the legislature) legislate, and to bring more jobs, money, and "good" recognition to our state. Afterall, isn't the governor just really a tie-breaker, figurehead-suggester?

Please note, these are soley the expressed opinions of KJenerette's and do not reflect or are the opinions of Van Jenerette.

I did forget to mention his military service - another scam! If he was so damned patriotic, where was he when the bullets were flying! If not mistaken, he could have easily enlisted (probably too good for enlistment) at the outbreak of Desert Storm! A medical area indeed!

I'm a Desert Storm vet and a woman at that! I was already in the service in Germany and was in the Command Sergeant Major's office volunteering in an Armored Division for duty in the Gulf.

At his age, he should be ashamed of himself! He makes a mockery of those before him...He should have just stayed out and saluted those who joined the service for honorable reasons. Let's see if he volunteers to sit in Afghanastan! Or the Phillipines! Only than will I believe he joined for honorable reasons!

Also note this website: www.MarkSanford.com

KJenerette www.jenerette.com

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