Debunking The Bush AWOL Story - From The Horse's Mouth

Brig. Gen. Turnipseed | February 6, 2004 | Hon

[Hon]

I just got off the phone about an hour ago with Brig. Gen. William R. Turnipseed. He is the sole source for the four year old story that Bush was AWOL during his National Guard service.

Mr. Turnipseed is very unhappy with the way what he said "casually" four years ago has been twisted by the "Bush haters" (his words) in the media, especially the Boston Globe (who first reported the story) and the New York Times.

In a nutshell here is what happened, according to Turnipseed. Back in 1972 his Alabama National Guard unit received a letter from Bush (who was in the Texas Nation Guard) asking if he while he was in Alabama do some equivalancy training with the Alabama unit.

Turnipseed said that this request was as a matter of routine turned over to his administrative assistant, Lott, who wrote back to Bush, giving him the dates of the next unit drills. Lott told Bush he could report for those dates.

Neither Turnipseed nor Lott can now remember whether Bush appeared for these drills or not. Turnipseed says he himself might not have even been around the base at the time, so he wouldn't know one way or the other. And he says he has always said this.

The points Turnipseed wanted to stress are these: Bush was never ordered to report for duty to his unit. Since Bush was in the Texas National Guard and Turnipseed was in the Alabama National Guard, he couldn't have ordered him even if he had wanted to. But he didn't want to.

He (or his assistant, Lott) simply gave Bush the dates he could report if he wanted to do equivalency training with them. There were no orders given. If he showed up or didn't show up, it wasn't their concern.

Additionally, Turnipseed says that he never once said anything about Bush being "AWOL." He said it isn't even a term used in the National Guard. And anyway, as already noted, Bush's training record was not his concern, but the Texas National Guard's.

He said that since the Texas National Guard gave him an honorable discharge it shows that he fulfilled his training requirements.

Turnipseed said that the media has constantly misrepresented what he said and edited him so as to make Bush look bad.

He also said that he had no idea who Bush was, and that he certainly didn't do him any special favors. Nor would he have.

He said that when he first spoke to the Boston Globe reporter about this four years ago he didn't realize he was talking to a "Bush hater."

Turnipseed is a strong Bush supporter. He said that he has been contacted many times especially recently, by "Bush haters" in the media, who try to get him to say that Bush was AWOL. Once they realize that he won't cooperate they lose interest in talking to him. When they do quote him, they say he is backpedaling--even though he is still saying the same exact thing he told them four years ago.

He has been recently asked to go on with Peter Jennings and NBC's Dateline, but he is concerned that they will edit him in such a way as to misrepresent his story again. I have been in touch with Fox news, in hopes that they will have somebody talk to him and try to present his story fairly.

Bottom line, this whole AWOL story was media spin from the git-go. The Boston Globe reporter simply cherry picked Turnipseed's comments and totally misrepresented him--to make Bush look bad.

And the media are still doing it four years later. They should be ashamed--but they have no shame. They have only their agenda.

[BlessedAmerican]

Thank you for your replies and answering my concerns about Hon's post. In typical Freeper fashion, Hon you took the 'bull by the horns' and sought your own verification! Great work and I appreciate being enlightened. You are also right that I should have checked your posts and probably could have answered my own questions and will be careful to do that in the future. But carry on the great work....thx

[Mo1]

I guess it got legs again when such military giants such as Clark and Kerry began to banter it about.....

I'll bet Mike Moore's stupid comments helped Clark and Kerry in making their accusations ... the Dems have never been known for backing away from stepping into it with their fellow village idiots

[Tribune7]

I suspect you might be getting your fill of these but here's another one.

[Tribune7]

ping

[Hon]

Well, despite all of the plaudits being heaped upon me for simply making a phone call, it should be pointed out that I had gotten it ass-backwards in the earlier thread that led me to call the Brig. General.

I was working on the assumption that he was in the thrall of his whacky leftwing relative. So let's not get carried away.

But this has been a lesson to me and it should be to us all. That sometimes all you have to do is just ask. God knows the media won't. Not if it doesn't suit their story.

[AmericanVictory]

bump

[TruBluKentuckian]

I've been watching this unfold all day today and I have to say... fantastic job!!

This story has been really sticking in my craw the whole time and I hope this blows the lid off of it.

[Andy from Chapel Hill]

No, but I am glad I saved a copy to disc. I am not sure the George website is still functional.
Interesting article from a leftie mag, though...

[RightWingMama]

Good job. You took the initiative, called him and got some answers.

[Free Vulcan]

self-ping

[hoosiermama]

Do genealogy research. Birth certificates, marriage license etc.

[FReepaholic]

>>...Almost thought this was another one of those in a long line of stories about Kerry spouting off his mouth over the unfounded Bush was AWOL charge....<<

Nah, then the title would have read: "From the Horses Arse"

[The G Man]

Sounds like The Boston Globe SEXED UP their AWOL story.

Will the top brass at the Globe take the honorable way out like the suits at the BBC did?

[FreedomPoster]

Ping!

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

I do recall that punishment being "provided" to one of the wayward members of my unit.

[FreedomPoster]

>>>>"A simple resource not taught to most journalists."

>>It's worse than that. They have called him. They aren't interested in what he has to say.

Totally unsurprising, if you've read Bernard Goldberg's "Bias" and "Arrogance". Which I highly recommend to all. Goldberg saw it all behind closed doors, when the presstitutes thought no one was watching who was going to tell.

If anyone makes a special purpose ping list for this issue, I want on it.

[Liberty Valance]

Thanks for your fantastic work on this issue. I'm always amazed at Freepers.

Best regards,
Liberty

W'04

[Robert A Cook PE]

I'm looking at a copy of Bush's 1973 carrear summary:

As of 1 Oct 73 it credits him with duty at these assignments:

"HD TR TexANG Per ANGR36-05, SO ANG-A 158, State of Texas AG Dept, Austin, Tx and transferred to ARPC (ORS), 3800 York St, denver, CO 80205 effective 2 October 1973. (DOS TexANG 1 Oct 73)."

That means he was satisfactorily discharged ( to inactive Reserve in Denver on 1 Oct 73 (start of the fiscal year), after duty in Tex Air National Gaurd Headqtrs, and officially credited duty for the Alabama Air National Guard: ANG-A 158!

Further: His Officer's Fitness Report (OER Form) for 1 May 72 to 30 Apr 73 from Texas credits him with a routine "Not Observed" default markings - exactly correct when an officer is serving, but not at the same continuous duty station as his commanding officer. The CO can't evaluate him, and the temporary station does NOT EVER issue OER's.

Hint: An Officer "AWOL" (or under any discipline!) does not get that kind of OER.

[onyx]

BTTT Thanks for the report.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Thank you for admitting that...

Though I hate at any time to be wrong, I appreciate your checking, and re-checking, your assumptions.