History Lesson - Bush and the Guard

[strikeeagle]

Gather 'round children, and listen closely:

Back in the day, there was something called the Draft. And something called Viet Nam. And about 50,000 American fighting men and women died there. (For reference, about 500 have died in Iraq.)

Some folks didn't want to go. Some of the folks who didn't want to go crawled over the Canadian border, or elsewhere. Some faked emotional or medical problems. Some falsely claimed to be conscientious objectors, or gay. Some scrambled to join the Guard or Reserves. Some who were drafted talked their way into raking sandtraps in Washington, D.C. The details surrounding the ways folks avoided Viet Nam are as numerous as the folks themselves - each one is a long-winded story.

When the **** hits the fan the worst surely comes out in some folks. But rest assured, when all is said and done, there's only one person anybody has to answer to. I've heard (and continue to hear) more false bravado and more crap excuses from countless folks who can't commit to anything but number one over the years than I care to recall. As a broke, dumb, former soldier in Uncle Sam's U S Army in Viet Nam I could care less that George Bush did or didn't show up for Guard duty in Alabama or anywhere else. It's just more of the same blah, blah, blah...

 

[UNGN]

What's comical about the whole "George Bush didn't go to Nam" that's come up recently is that he was trained to fly F102's in the Texas ANG. In the early 70's, the F102 was an obsolete aircraft and NOBODY would have sent one over to Viet Nam at that time.

Before Bush could be retrained in an aircraft that could go over there, his service would have been up, anyway. He had a Degree from Yale and was washing hangers and cleaning equipment... and yet he didn't go AWOL.

 

[bishir]

What is really funny is the Dems are doing this to show how great Kerry's record in the Military is compared to Pres. Bush's record. Funny how the Dems all of a sudden car about military backgrounds. They must have forgotten about Pres Clinton.

 

[Nick Micale]

The topic is "History Lesson", so this should qualify? It was sent to me by a Viet nam vet:

" By Michael Benge
FrontPageMagazine.com
January 13, 2003

As Sen. John Kerry, Massachusetts Democrat, considers a bid for the White House, Americans should know a few things about him that he might prefer go unmentioned -- and I don't mean his $75 haircuts.

When Mr. Kerry pontificated at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Veterans Day, a group of veterans turned their backs on him and walked away. They remembered Mr. Kerry as the antiwar activist who testified before Congress during the war, accusing veterans of being war criminals. The dust jacket of Mr. Kerry's pro-Hanoi book, "The New Soldier," features a photograph of his ragged band of radicals mocking the US Marine Corps Memorial, which depicts the flag-raising on Iwo Jima, with an upside-down American flag. Retired Gen. George S. Patton III charged that Mr. Kerry's actions as an antiwar activist had "given aid and comfort to the enemy," as had the actions of Ramsey Clark and Jane Fonda. Also, Mr. Kerry lied when he threw what he claimed were his war medals over the White House fence; he later admitted they weren't his. Now they are displayed on his office wall."

 

[SinistrV6]

What I can't tolerate is the implication that serving in the Guard or Reserves is somehow equal to draft dodging. I am proud to have served on Active Duty and in the Guard. Screw anyone who thinks it isn't an honorable way to serve your country. Just look at how many Guardsmen and Reservists are in Iraq and Afghanistan (and everywhere else!) right now. I hope this blows up in Kerry's face and costs him the vote of every Guardsman and Reservist and their spouse!

 

[Strahd_Zarovich]

I am a sergeant in the NC Guard I may not be over seas, but my cousin and almost every friend from High School is. And all of them are in the National Guard. I work at the NC Military Academy where we train even more Guard members to go over seas. To put things in perspective there is a total of 10,000 Guard members in NC and 7,500 are activated right now with 5,000 over seas or about to leave for over seas at last count. Yea the Guard is a good way to dodge things my A$$.

 

[UNGN]

Kerry and the Democrats are bringing up 1972 to deflect critisim from Kerry's Ted Kenedy like voting record in the Senate.

Check out Kerry's Brady Bill Scorecard

Kerry better enjoy the next few weeks of Bush Bashing while he can, because his own record is out there and aint pretty.

The more people know about him, the less they will like him.

 

[Brad T]

http://www.usvetdsp.com/jf_kerry.htm

This gives a timeline of Kerry in the war and some his comments after the war.

 

[Pronto]

Let's be fair about the National Guard. In the late sixties they were the easy way to avoid the draft and going to Viet Nam. I believe only in 68 and 69 did any Guardsmen actually go to Viet Nam and that number was small. With no draft today, the National Guard is very active in any actions the military takes. They have to since there isn't enough regular troops to be spread out. Very different situations. Today most National Guard have regular jobs with families and they deserve much more credit and reconition for this commitment. During the draft most guys were too young to be married yet or didn't have real jobs or houses etc. A disproprionate percentage of them were poor and black.

 

[strikeeagle]

Pronto,

Couldn't have said it better myself. I have the utmost respect for anyone who serves, regular or reserve, today or yesterday, whose intentions are pure.

Young folks may not appreciate that things were very different then...

 

[SinistrV6]

strikeeagle and Pronto thanks for the info. It's true, I was a toddler during the Vietnam era. I wasnt' aware of the differences in the Guard's status.

 

[Red Regal T]

It's outrageous that Kerry (war hero) should equate serving in the National Guard with the guys that took off to Canada. I would've joined the guard but I couldn't get in. Everybody had to serve back then and few got out of it. I enlisted in the Navy for three years. I really wasn't into going into combat if I could help it.

That brings me to Kerry (war hero). He joined the Navy, not the Marines. He probably figured it was safe and he'd never see combat. Kerry (war hero) must've pissed somebody off to get sent over there. Last time I checked, the North Vietnamese didn't have a Navy. How many sailors, besides pilots, do you think fought in Vietnam?

And oh, I forgot to remind you. Did you know that Senator Kerry, supporter of Jane Fonda, was a war hero?

 

[Chuck Leeper]

!!!!!!!!!

You can put Kerry, Clinton, Fonda, Penn, and most of the rest of the fag war protestors in a bag, and when you shake it out, you still have garbage......
I'm a USAF vet.. 1960- thru 1966.. Not a "fun time" in my life, but I was glad to do my small part..
My son was in the Navy.. he too had less than a "fun time" in Desert Storm...

One good way to get on my bad side REALLY fast, is to desicrate the flag.. Time for WW3 when that $hit happens.

 

[chevyII]

I think the whole topic is stupid as everyone knows the rich pollticians and there familys never go into combat ever.

 

[Randy Greenoe]

In the late sixites if you weren't a "Fortunate Son" you did not get in the National Guard or reseves you went to Nam. Compare Bush to protecting the borders of Texas to those who layed it all on the line in Nam is not even a comparison.

 

[CPAKCP]

Originally posted by Brad T
This gives a timeline of Kerry ... politicans from either party can claim that.

 

[6pack]

Hate to do this but............

If the brainwashed liberals vote this idiot into office in November....god help us all. He is blowing smoke up everyones asses and the libs are holding it in

 

[Pressure-Less]

To go along with the Kerry anti Vietnam theme. Here are Jane Fonda and John Kerry at the same anti-war rally. A pictures says a thousand words. We must keep this punk from becoming the Military's Commander-in-Chief.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=37049

Scroll towards the bottom if you don't want to read the article.

Drew

 

[Randy Greenoe]

Originally posted by Pressure-Less
To go along with the Kerry anti Vietnam theme. Here are Jane Fonda and John Kerry at the same anti-war rally. A pictures says a thousand words. We must keep this punk from becoming the Military's Commander-in-Chief.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=37049

Scroll towards the bottom if you don't want to read the article.

Drew

Were you an adult {over 18} during the Vietnam war? I was an I will tell you right now that was not a popular among Americans! These guys put there lives on the line and come home to a rally of Americans spitting on them and calling them baby killers,etc. It was a war for big business and nothing more. It is a damn shame all the pepole that got killed and mamed over there for what? The guys serving in Nam knew that the U.S. could care less if they won or lost the war just keep the economy rolling, many of them came back as a protester because they knew the government would never give them enough support to win the war. But Bush was protecting Texas,big deal!

 

[6pack]

Originally posted by Randy Greenoe
Were you an adult {over 18} during the Vietnam war? I was an I will tell you right now that was not a popular among Americans! These guys put there lives on the line and come home to a rally of Americans spitting on them and calling them baby killers,etc. It was a war for big business and nothing more. It is a damn shame all the pepole that got killed and mamed over there for what? The guys serving in Nam knew that the U.S. could care less if they won or lost the war just keep the economy rolling, many of them came back as a protester because they knew the government would never give them enough support to win the war. But Bush was protecting Texas,big deal!

Thing about it is Kerry to my knowledge, has never came out and said he was there at that rally.......if he is such a hero why would he deny the fact! Blowing smoke