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Don't mean to knock my National Guard bretheren: it is military duty and something to be proud of...

But during the Vietnam War it was largely used as a dodge to avoid the unseemly shooting stuff. Service flying planes in Texas does not equate to service flying Thud Ridge, or downtown Hanoi, plain and simple.

We knew it then and we remember it now.

What about people who served in the regular Army, Air Force, or Marines but were not assigned to Viet Nam? What about people who went for specialties like Russian language school, so that they would get to go to Europe? What about people who enlisted in the Navy, knowing that they would probably not be on the ground in Viet Nam? What about National Guard people who were sent to Viet Nam, even though they didn't want to go? What about people who served in Viet Nam and came home to demonstrate and undermine the war effort?

The Vietnam War was a political war a much as anything, and lets not forget who was in control of congress and the presidency when that war began.

I take far greater issue with those who played politics with the lives of Americans, the elected political leaders who played a "war" board game with that battle against the spread of the "EVIL EMPIRE".

The "war" of Vietnam was not only fought in Vietnam, this nation itself became a "war" zone and at its base at "higher institutions" was an all out assult of the unity of this country.

LBJ while appearing to fight this "IDEA" of communism/socialism laid down the biggest spread of this ideology in this nation and not a shot was fired.

The liberals and their ideology were the greatest enemy of those drafted, and the whole nation got screwed by them whether they served in uniform or not.

The foundation of one's own ideology is what counts, not whether they served or not, and using one's own service as political up-man-ship when at their heart they are against protecting this nation, does not give credibility.

My prayers and thanks for those who served in whatever capacity.

Don't mean to knock my National Guard bretheren: it is military duty and something to be proud of...

Well you did, Colonel, and I don't understand why. I simply must disagree with you in regards to George W. Bush. He didn't fly Thud Ridge, or go Downtown, but so didn't a lot of fighter pilots who served at Bitburg, or Malstrom, or Aviano, or in the Med off a Sixth Fleet carrier, or hundreds of other places. Again, I submit, flying a fighter jet, EVEN in peace time, IS hazardous duty. I don't see signing up for that duty during the Vietnam War as a aims to get out of life-threatening situations. Dubya could have gotten a lot of other, safer duties by far.