Reservist Sen. (Graham) Begins Stint at S.C. Base (Any Dems? - NO!)

AP via Earthlink ^ | 11-17-03

[erk]

Reservist Sen. Begins Stint at S.C. Base

April 17, 2003 06:36 PM EDT

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. - Sen. Lindsey Graham, the only U.S. senator in the reserves, donned combat fatigues Thursday and spent the day working in this Air Force base's legal office.

"I've got to do some reserve duty and I asked, 'Where can I help?'" said the South Carolina Republican, a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve.

Graham, 47, an attorney, served six years of active duty as an Air Force prosecutor and defense attorney. He is not drawing pay for serving, but does earn credits toward a military retirement.

"For two days I'm playing a very small part trying to help this legal office," the freshman senator said. "They are undermanned and they are overworked but they have got the mission done."

The need for reservists' help has grown, Graham said. "The active duty forces are 40 percent of what they were during the first Gulf War. But the tasking and the demands on the active force has not gone down, it has gone up."

Four Republican members of the U.S. House are in the reserves: Mark Kirk and John M. Shimkus of Illinois, Steve Buyer of Indiana and Roger Wicker of Mississippi. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., is in his state's Army National Guard.

[erk]

Where are the Democrat reservists?

[TheBattman]

Good luck - It's going to be difficult finding any....

[PianoMan]

You mean the human shields?

[uncbuck]

You'd have to check the Republican Guard reservist ranks for a registered Dem.
Look under 'D' for Dasshole.

[kms61]

Since even the youngest members of Congress are a little past the prime age for military service I wouldn't expect to find many reservists.

You could make the philosophical argument that Congressmembers should resign from military service before taking office....the civilian government makes policy, the military carries it out, and never the twain shall meet, that sort of thing. One of the Secretaries of the Navy under Reagan (Lehman maybe?) was a Naval Reservist at the time, which I didn't think was a wise idea either. I believe he eventually resigned his commission.

I think a more telling statistic is how many Congressmembers have children serving in Iraq. It was posted on FR recently that the answer is a grand total of one senator and no Reprsentatives.

[wku man]

Hehehehehehehehehe...good 'un!

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[Ethyl]

Our new Govenor of South Carolina Sanford just served his 2 weeks reservist duty and now our Senator. Can any other state boast such high ranking officials serving? Let alone finding a single demoncrapt?

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm? But the really interesting stat is how many congresspeople are members of the DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST PARTY - now there's an interesting group!!

[Ethyl]

You mean the human shields?

If only Puff Daschle,Finestinkle, the Kennnedeys et al....... would please become human shields, that would really help the Iraqis, they would probably shoot them first.

[Pee_Oui]

Also, how many Dems "EVER" served???

Many of the Pubbies served long before running for office, though they may not be reservists now.

At least they did their stint.

DL

[cibco]

"I think a more telling statistic is how many Congressmembers have children serving in Iraq. It was posted on FR recently that the answer is a grand total of one senator and no Reprsentatives."

What about the total for all of the Washington, DC elite. You know, the ones that rule and ignore us...

[Slings and Arrows]

Also, how many Dems "EVER" served???

Some have.

When I lived in Illinois, my Congressman was Lane Evans, a former Marine. He's also a die-hard Clintonista and on the Dem. Soc's I-Love-You list (Progressive Caucus member).

I respect and admire military service. Unfortunately, it's not a guarantee of anything. That Evans was a Marine, nobody can take away. That he's vermin now, only a statist can deny.

[American Soldier]

I have questions about how "telling" that statistic really is... a more important statistic would be how many have children who are serving or have served in a branch of the military.

Only a fraction of the servicemen currently serving have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Out of the 15 or 20 military families with whom I am closest, none have a member in Iraq now...luck of the draw I guess.

If you look at the population at large, very few people have a kid serving in Iraq or Afghanistan...I'm not sure if Congress really looks so bad in this respect.

[American Soldier]

I would consider military service a nearly necessary (though there are some good non-vet Congresscritters) but NOT sufficient condition for political service. The men who have done the most damage to this country -- Benedict Arnold, Robert E. Lee (I admit he was honorable in his own way but he did betray us), Tim McVeigh, etc. were all not only soldiers, but actually known to be damn good ones. Lee and Arnold were both, at least for a time, known as the greatest living combat soldiers of their day. This does not prevent them from screwing up later.

Hackworth is probably the best modern example. What a freaking fruit he is.

Ted Kennedy is the most obvious example in the Senate, though I don't know if he was known as particularly good soldier or not-he's certainly no friend to soldiers now.

[Slings and Arrows]

Beautifully put. Another example that pops to mind is from Israel: Peres and Barak are both former IDF generals (the latter a world-reknown commando), and their misdeeds are still doing damage to Israel.

[truth_seeker]

"Also, how many Dems "EVER" served???"

McGovern, Kerry, and Kerrey (missing a leg). Please respect ALL vets for their service, politics aside.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Actually, I'd like to see my congresscritter -- Jerry Nadler -- deployed as a MOAB. We could also send my state's hag senator's crusty pantsuit as a WMD. :)

[TontoKowalski]

Actually, I'd like to see my congresscritter -- Jerry Nadler -- deployed as a MOAB.

Just as soon as I quit crying with laughter, I'm going to reprimand you for that insensitive remark.