SwiftVets.com

DaveL · Commander Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 300

ok, from what I have been reading, let me see if I understand...

Kerry received four deferments to avoid military service, applied for a fifth deferment to go to Paris to study, was turned down and was about to be drafted into the army, joined the naval reserve to avoid being drafted, was called to active duty aboard the USS Gridley which was not involved in combat, wanted a command of his own so volunteered for duty aboard a swiftboat (which at the time he volunteered were performing "relatively safe" coastal patrol, but which changed to dangerous inland river duty after Kerry had already been assigned to swiftboat duty), complained often that he had "not volunteered for this", managed to "acquire" 3 purple hearts (incredibly requiring no hospitalization), a bronze star, and a silver star (based upon questionable reports that he himself wrote) in an unprecedentedly short period of about 21 days, requested a trip stateside based on his 3 purple hearts, and then proceeded to "spit" on his brothers still in harms way when he got back, gave support to the enemy in multiple ways, regularly claimed war hero status for himself, and used his military service as the basis for an underwhelming political career!

Bush volunteered for Texas Air National Guard duty to pilot notoriously dangerous F102 fighter jets (which because of the history of this "killer jet", the TANG was having trouble attracting qualified pilots), underwent lengthy training, was considered an above average pilot, worked hard to excel, far exceeded required flight time while patrolling the Gulf of Mexico during a critical time in the Cold War, applied to go fly in VietNam but was turned down because there were more senior pilots ahead of him, and then as the F102 began to be phased out and the war wound down, Bush became less dedicated to flying, became involved supporting a political candidate, then requested to go back to school, satisfied all time commitments and flight requirements, was honorably discharged, and then never used his military service as the basis for his political career!

OK, so if I have any of this wrong, please let me know and I will make corrections...but I have to say...not once have I ever heard anything sounding even close to this history of these two candidates reported by the MSM!!! I don't get it!

Aristotle The Hun · PO1 Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 488 Location: Naples FL

Thanks Dave. Pithy summary that I will make immediate use of with my email lists.

Not pithy enough for BOR though.

Sam
_________________
Deportè Monsieur Kerrè

cipher · Vice Admiral Joined: 10 Aug 2004 Posts: 902

DaveL · Commander Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 300

thanks cipher... I had read just recently of a specific 160 open positions, but that may not be credible... edits made

cipher · Vice Admiral Joined: 10 Aug 2004 Posts: 902

That 160-some-odd number I believe was statewide guard slots open that needed specific qualifications. There was a waiting list for the ENLISTED slots, however, the officer slots had widely varying criteria. And the pilot slots were the hardest ones (naturally) to qualify for and actually end up filling. Not only did you have to land the assignment, you had to pass flight school and advanced fighter training, with was by no means an easy task.

It may have been Byron York at NRO (or someone else) who had an interview with the CG of TANG that stated the actual number of slots, but I can't put my fingers on it right now.
_________________
USMC 69-72, 7th Comm, 3rd MarDiv, FMFPAC
US Army 75-79, 97th Sig, SHAPE, NATO
Arkansas National Guard 79
Defense contractor for US Navy, SSPO, SP-20, SP-24, OP-12 84-92

William · Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 1:01 am Post subject:

And this excerpted from: Newsweek, War Stories, By Evan Thomas, Feb. 23, 2004 issue, page 3 of 4, at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4271922/

Tom Poole · Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 1:21 am Post subject:

I read this line hurriedly and may have missed something. Gen. Staudt stated publicly a week or so ago that there was NO WAITING LINE for F-102 TANG pilots. They signed up anyone who qualified. Staudt said nothing about the difficulties but I've heard others say qualifying was very difficult.

Barnes can be expected to talk about this again in a few days but one has only to look at his Texas history to easily determine if he's telling the truth. He was involved in the Sharpstown Bank scandal, the Texas Lottery scandal and a real estate scandal with the late Texas Governor Connally. And, it was bad enough that he's persona non grata in Texas politics.
_________________
'58 Airedale HMR(L)-261 VMO-2

Aristotle The Hun · PO1 Joined: 18 Aug 2004 Posts: 488 Location: Naples FL