1st Lt. George W. Bush in uniform

The military service of George W. Bush was an issue in the 2000 presidential campaign and again in the 2004 presidential campaign. The controversy centers on the questions of how George W. Bush, now the President of the United States, came to be a member of the Texas Air National Guard, why he lost his flight status, and whether he fulfilled the requirements of his military service contract during the Vietnam War. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (500x645, 85 KB) This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (500x645, 85 KB) This image is a work of a U.S. military or Department of Defense employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ... (Redirected from 2000 U.S. presidential campaign) Map The U.S. presidential election of 2000 took place on Election Day, Tuesday, November 7. ... -1... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      For other uses, see President of the United States (disambiguation). ... Shield of the United States Air National Guard In the US military, the Air National Guard (ANG), as part of the National Guard, is the organized militia of a particular US state and is a reserve of the US Air Force (USAF), too. ... For other uses, see Aviator (disambiguation). ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000...

Political significance

In the 2000 Presidential Campaign, although both candidates, George W. Bush and Albert Gore, were veterans - Gore as an enlistee in the regular Army who completed a five-month tour in Vietnam and Bush as member of the Texas Air National Guard - the issue of military service was revived when the Boston Globe reported that there was a 1 year gap in Bush's service record^[1]. Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. ... For other uses, see Army (disambiguation). ... Shield of the United States Air National Guard In the US military, the Air National Guard (ANG), as part of the National Guard, is the organized militia of a particular US state and is a reserve of the US Air Force (USAF), too. ... The Boston Globe is the most widely-circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and in the greater New England region. ...

Bush critics, such as Texans for Truth, specifically questioned the quality of Bush's service in the Guard, whether he benefited from favoritism in obtaining the position (since at the time it was considered probable that reservists would avoid combat), and whether he fulfilled all of the requirements of his service contract.^{[citation needed]} Texans for Truth (TfT) is a political advocacy organization, registered under Section 527 of the United States tax code, formed to oppose George W. Bushs re-election efforts in the 2004 presidential election. ...

Various charges about Bush's military service were also made by his opponents during Bush's successful Texas gubernatorial campaigns in 1994 and 1998.^{[citation needed]} The controversy briefly resurfaced in 2005 on President Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1998, Miers, then the president of a prominent Dallas law firm and Bush's personal attorney, was paid $19,000 by the Bush gubernatorial re-election campaign to examine rumors questioning Bush's service in the National Guard.^{[citation needed]} Harriet Ellan Miers (born August 10, 1945 in Dallas, Texas) is an American lawyer, and former White House Counsel. ... The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., (large image) The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States...

Timeline

Bush enlisted in the Texas Air National Guard on May 27, 1968, during the Vietnam War, with a commitment to serve until May 26, 1974. In his 1968 Statement of Intent (undated), he wrote, "I have applied for pilot training with the goal of making flying a lifetime pursuit and I believe I can best accomplish this to my own satisfaction by serving as a member of the Air National Guard as long as possible." He performed Guard duty as an F-102 pilot through April 1972, logging a total of 336 flight hours^[2] and was promoted once during his service, to first lieutenant.^[3] The United States National Guard is a reserve forces component of the United States Army (the Army National Guard) and the United States Air Force (the Air National Guard). ... is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... is the 146th day of the year (147th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger fighter aircraft was part of the backbone of the United States air defenses in the late 1950s. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... First Lieutenant is a military rank. ...

In November 1970, Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian, commander of the 111th Fighter Squadron (Texas Air National Guard), recommended that Bush be promoted to First Lieutenant, calling him "a dynamic outstanding young officer" who stood out as "a top notch fighter interceptor pilot." He said that "Lt. Bush's skills far exceed his contemporaries," and that "he is a natural leader whom his contemporaries look to for leadership. Lt. Bush is also a good follower with outstanding disciplinary traits and an impeccable military bearing." Year 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ... Lieutenant Colonel Jerry B. Killian was a commanding officer in the Texas Air National Guard in the early 1970s. ... Shield of the United States Air National Guard In the US military, the Air National Guard (ANG), as part of the National Guard, is the organized militia of a particular US state and is a reserve of the US Air Force (USAF), too. ...

Bush's six-year obligation to serve required him to maintain his immediate readiness as an individual and a member of a unit to be called to active duty in the event of a national emergency. Bush's military records indicate that until May 1972 he fulfilled that obligation. But from that point on, Bush failed to meet the attendance requirements established by Federal law, Department of Defense regulations, and Air Force policies and procedures for "obligated" members of the Air National Guard, and the Air Force requirement for an annual physical examination for pilots.

Acceptance into the National Guard

Bush beside a jet.

During the 1968–1974 period, Presidents Johnson and Nixon decided against calling up National Guard units for service in Vietnam. As a result, National Guard service was widely portrayed as a way to avoid combat. The waiting list for the Guard at that time was extremely long, and there have been charges that young men from influential families were improperly moved to the top of the list (a similar accusation was leveled at Dan Quayle, who served in the Indiana National Guard, and was vice-president in 1989–93, when Bush's father was president). Publicly available photo of young GW Bush by jet in pilots uniform File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Publicly available photo of young GW Bush by jet in pilots uniform File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908–January 22, 1973), often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician. ... Nixon redirects here. ... James Danforth Dan Quayle (born February 4, 1947) was the forty-fourth Vice President of the United States under George H. W. Bush (1989–1993). ...

According to various media outlets, Bush jumped to the top of a list of over 500 applicants for his position as a pilot despite receiving the minimum passing score (25) on the pilot entrance aptitude test and listing no other qualifications. Other reports indicated that although there were many candidates interested in weekend enlisted duty, there were fewer, if any, people who were both sufficiently educated to qualify for an officer pilot position and willing to commit to the more than one year of full-time service required of Air National Guard pilots. Ben Barnes, the former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives and Lieutenant Governor of Texas, stated under oath that he had called the head of the Texas Air National Guard, Brig. Gen. James Rose, to recommend Bush for a pilot spot at the request of Bush family friend Sidney Adger.^[4] Later, Barnes repeated these claims in an interview with CBS News on September 8, 2004. Ben Barnes (born April 17, 1938) is an American lobbyist and former Lieutenant Governor of Texas. ... The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Texas. ... A Lieutenant Governor is a government official who is the subordinate or deputy of a Governor or Governor-General. ... Shield of the United States Air National Guard In the US military, the Air National Guard (ANG), as part of the National Guard, is the organized militia of a particular US state and is a reserve of the US Air Force (USAF), too. ... A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... James C. Rose (1913-1991) was a prominent landscape architect and author of the twentieth century. ... is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Former Texas legislator Jake Johnson has stated that before General Rose died, Rose told him that he had been responsible for Bush's acceptance into the Guard. Both George W. Bush and his father have stated that they did not ask Adger to intercede and were unaware of any action he may have taken. Walter Staudt, the colonel in command of Bush's squadron, has stated that he accepted Bush's application without receiving any outside pressure to do so. In a 1994 interview, Bush stated that he joined the Guard because "I was not prepared to shoot my eardrum out with a shotgun in order to get a deferment. Nor was I willing to go to Canada. So I chose to better myself by learning how to fly airplanes."^[5] For other uses, see Colonel (disambiguation). ...

The unit in which Bush served was known as a "Champagne unit," where the scions of the Texas aristocracy could avoid combat duty with relatively few demands on their time. Serving in that unit with Bush were the sons of three prominent men: Democratic Governor John Connally, Democratic Senator and future Vice-Presidential nominee Lloyd Bentsen, and Republican Senator John Tower, as well as seven members of the Dallas Cowboys professional football club, and a man named James R. Bath, who would become a longtime friend of Bush's. Champagne unit is a pejorative term used to describe US Military units staffed by celebrities or people from wealthy or politically powerful families. ... John Bowden Connally, Jr. ... Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr. ... John Tower John Goodwin Tower (September 29, 1925 – April 5, 1991) was the first Republican United States senator from Texas since the Reconstruction after the Civil War. ... City Irving, Texas Other nicknames Americas Team, The Boys, The Pokes Team colors White, Silver, Silver-Green, Royal Blue, Navy Blue Head Coach Wade Phillips Owner Jerry Jones General manager Jerry Jones League/Conference affiliations National Football League (1960–present) Western Conference (1960) Eastern Conference (1961-1969) Capitol Division... James Reynolds Bath was a former director of Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI), and part owner of Arbusto Energy with George W. Bush, with whom Bath served as a member of the Texas Air National Guard. ...

Air National Guard members could volunteer for active duty service with the Air Force in a program called Palace Alert, which deployed F-102 pilots to Europe and Southeast Asia, including Vietnam and Thailand. According to three pilots from Bush's squadron, Bush inquired about this program but was advised by the base commander that he did not have the necessary experience (500 hours) at the time and that the F-102 was outdated.^[6] The Air National Guard (ANG) is part of the United States National Guard and a reserve component of the United States Air Force (USAF). ...

Flight performance and flight status in 1972 and 1973

Final flights

Flight logs released in September 2004 in response to a lawsuit (see below) showed that Bush, who had been flying solo in the F-102A Delta Dagger, an interceptor, for most of his career, flew nine times in T-33 trainers in February and March 1972 — nearly twice as many times as he had flown in T-33s in the prior 18 months.^[7] He also used a flight simulator, and was heavily focused on flying by instruments.^[8] The logs also show that in March and April 1972, Bush twice needed multiple tries to land the F102 fighter.^[9] Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Convair F-102 Delta Dagger fighter aircraft was part of the backbone of the United States air defenses in the late 1950s. ... The MiG-25 is a Russian interceptor that was the mainstay of the Soviet air defence. ... Categories: Aircraft stubs | U.S. military trainer aircraft 1940-1949 ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The final two entries of Bush's official flight logs show him being assigned to work as an instructional pilot in late May 1972 at a Texas Air National Guard base. But Bush left for Alabama in mid-May (see next section) and his pay records show he wasn't paid for any work on the two dates of the instructional pilot assignment. The logs have a code indicating the assignments were eventually deleted from his official records.^[7]

Flight physical

By regulation, National Guard pilots were required to take and pass an annual physical in order to remain in flight status, in the three months prior to a pilot's birthday (in Bush's case, July 6). For reasons that are unclear, Bush apparently chose not to take this mandatory physical examination in mid-1972, thus ending his pilot's career. He never flew again after April 15, 1972. is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

As a result of his failure to take his physical, his flight status was suspended by his "cmdr" (commander) on 1 Aug 72, confirmed by then-Col Bobby Hodges on 5 Sep 72 ^[10] and confirmed again by a National Guard Bureau order on September 29, 1972,^[11] which meant he no longer was authorized to fly as a pilot. The confirmation order also confirmed the suspension of flight status of Major James R. Bath, a long-time friend of Bush. is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The document directly orders Bush to acknowledge the suspension in writing ("Off will comply with para 2-10, AFM 35-13") but there is no evidence Bush obeyed this order. The Air Force regulation cited here, AFM 35-13 Para 2-29m^[12] required the commander of Bush's Texas National Guard unit to "direct an investigation as to why the individual failed to accomplish the medical examination" but there is no evidence this investigation ever occurred. This discrepancy has never been explained.

Following the investigation, the local commander was required to either convene a Flying Evaluation Board to review Bush’s suspension or to forward a detailed report on his case up the chain of command. Either way, there should have been a record of the investigation.^[13] There also should be a signed acknowledgment by George Bush of his suspension order but there is none.

Although he had taken the physical twice previously by flight surgeons, Bush says that he wanted to wait to take the physical until it could be done by his own private doctor. Regulations require that the physical be performed by an Air Force doctor.^[14] Flight physicals were typically given during a drill weekend. Air Force Flight Surgeons were assigned to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama, where Bush purportedly drilled in October and November 1972 and in January 1973. There is no record of his attendance in the 187th Alabama ANG, The Alabama unit’s commanders say they never saw Bush or any paperwork showing he performed drills there, however a January 1973 document references a dental exam that Bush received at the Alabama base.^[15]

There is no record of a physical being taken in either 1972 or in 1973, the last two years in which Bush attended drills, and was paid as pilot. Although, according to his released military records, Bush never flew again as a National Guard pilot after April 1972, and was suspended from flying on August 1, 1972, he continued to get paid as a pilot, ^[16] with flight pay for 52 more days, over 18 months, until his discharge.^[17]

Drill attendance in 1972 and 1973

During 2004, various people, including Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe, accused Bush of being absent without leave (AWOL) from the National Guard in 1972–73. Initially, these charges were based on gaps in the documentation of Bush's service. As records were released (see separate section, below) during 2004, the accusations were based on actual gaps in service (one exceeding six months) and the number of drills performed.^[18] Former Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean is the current Chairman of the DNC. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is the principal campaign and fund-raising organization affiliated with the United States Democratic Party. ... AWOL (pronounced a-wall) is an acronym for the United States and other armed forces expression Absent WithOut Leave or Absence Without Official Leave. The United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy use the term Unauthorized Absence (UA) instead. ...

White House communications director Dan Bartlett and others, who called the charge election-year propaganda, attempted to rebut the charges by noting that Bush was honorably discharged^[19] and that there is no known record of an AWOL charge against him. For other uses, see White House (disambiguation). ... Daniel Joseph Bartlett (born January 6, 1971), is the Counselor to the President in the U.S. presidential administration of George W. Bush. ...

Released military records show that Bush's documented service record through mid-April 1972 (Bush drilled on the 15th and 16th) is without gaps. Then, on May 24, 1972, Bush submitted a form requesting a transfer to the 9921st Air Reserve Squadron in Montgomery, Alabama. The squadron was under the command of Lt. Colonel Reese R. Bricken. Based on his application, he was already in Alabama at work on the Senate campaign of Winton M. Blount, who was a friend of his father. Bush was employed by the firm of Allison & Travalan in Montgomery; Jimmy Allison was a longtime family friend.^{[citation needed]} is the 144th day of the year (145th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Coordinates: , Country State County Montgomery Incorporated December 3, 1819 Government  - Mayor Bobby Bright Area  - City  156. ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and subordinate to a colonel. ... A bronze sculpture of Winton M. Blount by Charles Parks stands in the Blount Cultural Park in Montgomery, Alabama. ...

Irregularities in Bush’s Transfer Request

On May 26, Bricken, (commander of the 9921st), approved Bush’s application for transfer. Bricken also made it clear that he understood that the transfer request was highly irregular, writing “You already understand that this is a Training Category G, Pay Group None, Reserve Section MM proposition.” (emphasis added). As an obligated Reservist, Bush was in “Training Category A,” which required the 48 periods of inactive duty training, and 15 days of active duty training, and was required to remain in that Training Category. Training Category “G” offered no training at all.^{[citation needed]}

The training category issue is key here, because under Air Force regulations (AFM 35-3, paragraph 14-6) “If a member…will be unable to further train with his unit because of an impending change of residence,…he is required to sign a statement that he has been counseled.” That counseling included notifying Bush of his obligation to find a new unit with which he could fulfill his training obligations.{[fact}}

The Transfer Request is Rejected, and subsequent performance

Throughout this period, Bush remained obligated to train with his Texas unit, or perform substitute training each month. Bush service chronology^[20] shows no indication that the 147th ever transferred Bush out of its control, nor do Bush’s payroll records for the period in question^[21] show any indication that any personnel action was officially taken by the 147th relieving him of his obligation to train with that unit. Nevertheless, Bush’s records show that he is credited with no training during these months. Colonel Bricken is on record as stating that Bush made no effort to participate as a Guardsman with the 9921st.^{[citation needed]}

More than a month after the ARPC rejected Bush's transfer request, on September 5, 1972, Bush requested permission to "perform equivalent duty" at the 187th Tactical Recon Group in Alabama "for the months of September, October, and November." He quickly received approval to do so, and was told to report to Lt. Col. William Turnipseed, the base commander, for drills on October 7 and 8, and November 4 and 5 (the September drill dates of the unit had already passed). Bush's grandfather, former U.S. Senator Prescott Bush, died of cancer on October 8th, and Bush served as a pallbearer at the funeral in Greenwich, Connecticut. Turnipseed has said that he could not recall whether Bush reported on those occasions.^[22] Bush's records do not list any service on those dates, but they do show that he was paid for service on October 28 and 29, a weekend; on November 11 and 12, also a weekend; and November 14 and 15, a Tuesday and Wednesday.^[23] The location of the service and the duties performed are not described in any released records. is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ... is the 280th day of the year (281st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Prescott Sheldon Bush (May 15, 1895 – October 8, 1972) was a United States Senator from Connecticut and a Wall Street executive banker with Brown Brothers Harriman. ... is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 2004, a man named John "Bill" Calhoun, a former Alabama Air National Guard officer who had served at the Dannelly Air National Guard Base in Montgomery, home of the 187th, claimed he had seen Bush report for duty "at least six times" between May and October 1972, and that Bush had in fact spent time in his office.^[24] However, the payment and retirement records the White House handed out three days prior to Calhoun's claims reveal that Bush received no pay or attendance credits from April until the end of October 1972.^[25]

A column in the Birmingham News (Alabama) elicited memories from people who remembered Bush when he was in Alabama, working for the Blount campaign: "None have specific recollections about Bush and the National Guard. Some heard he was serving but never saw for themselves."^{[citation needed]} Opinions of him during this time ranged from good (amiable, well liked, and fond of sports) to bad (bragging about drinking and allegations he trashed a cottage where he was living).^{[citation needed]} Winton Blount's son Tom said "He was an attractive person, kind of a 'frat boy.' I didn't like him.".^[26] Winton Blount's nephew C. Murphy Archibald, who also worked on the Blount campaign, said that Bush also made an impression on the "Blue-Haired Platoon," a group of older Republican women working for Blount. Behind his back they called him "the Texas soufflé," Archibald said, because he was "all puffed up and full of hot air."^[27][28][29] The Birmingham News is a the daily newspaper for Birmingham, Alabama, and the largest newspaper in Alabama. ...

Released records show that Bush was paid for service for the days of January 4–6 and 8–10, 1973, and that he received a dental examination at Dannelly in Alabama on January 6.^[30] It is unclear why he stayed — or returned — to Alabama in January, since his campaign job had ended in November (with the defeat of candidate Blount). is the 4th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 6th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Between 1972 and 1973, Bush dated Mavanee Bear, another member of Blount's campaign staff. Bear stated "I know he served" because he had to regularly reschedule meetings, but also stated "I didn't see him in uniform." When later back in Texas, she frequently saw him in uniform, stating "I think he was mostly just flying in circles over Houston."^[31]

Back in Houston, in late 1972 or early 1973, Bush did unpaid volunteer work for a number of months with an inner-city poverty program, Project P.U.L.L. (Professional United Leadership League) the brainchild of John White, a former professional football player and civic leader.^[32] As for National Guard work, pay records and attendance records show no service in February or March, and two days of paid drilling on April 7–8.^[33] The April service presumably occurred at his home base, Ellington Air Force Base, in Houston. However there is nothing in the released documents showing that he actually reported on those days, or where, or what duties he performed. John White may refer to: John White (d. ... April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... Lieutenant Eric Lamar Ellington Field is a small airport in Clear Lake City, Texas, annexed to Houston, Texas. ...

In a document dated May 2, 1973, Bush's immediate superiors gave him his annual performance review for the period from May 1, 1972 to April 30, 1973. The review stated that "Lt. Bush has not been observed at this unit during the period of the report." Lt. Col. William D. Harris Jr. and Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian also wrote, "A civilian occupation made it necessary for him to move to Montgomery, Ala. He cleared this base on 15 May 1972 and has been performing equivalent training in a non-flying status with the 187 Tac Recon Gp. Dannelly ANG Base, Alabama." May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... Lieutenant Colonel Jerry B. Killian was a commanding officer in the Texas Air National Guard in the early 1970s. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

For May 1973, Bush was paid for service on 1–3, 8–11, 19–20, 22–24, and 29–31 May. For June, he was paid for 5 days; for July (his last month of drilling) for 19 days. As of the end of July, 1973, he had been in the National Guard for a little over five years. is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Lawrence Korb, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for President Ronald Reagan, has reviewed the payroll records for Bush last two years of service, and concluded that they indicate that Bush did not fulfill his obligations and could have been ordered to active duty as a result.^{[citation needed]}

Six-year service obligation

On May 27, 1968, Bush signed a six year obligation to complete "48 scheduled inactive-duty training periods" each fiscal year (typically consisting of four four-hour periods during one weekend each month), plus a minimum of 15 days of Annual Active Duty Training (for Bush, as a pilot, typically split into periods of duty of a few days each during the year). Exceptions can made in this obligation, for hardship, the needs of the service, or other reasons.^{[citation needed]} is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Boston Globe reported on September 8, 2004 that "Bush fell well short of meeting his military obligation".^[34]

Early release from military obligations

On July 30, 1973, his last day of paid service in the Texas National Guard, Bush signed a statement that "I have been counseled this date regarding my plans to leave my present Reserve of [sic] assignment due to moving from this area. I undestand that: a. If I disassociate from my current Ready Reserve Assignment, it is my responsibility to locate and be assigned to another Reserve Forces unit or mobilization augmentation position. If I fail to do so, I am subject to involuntary order to active duty for up to 24 months under the provisions of AFM 35-3, chapter 14."^{[citation needed]} is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ...

There is no record that Bush attempted to find a position in any National Guard unit, or in drilling Air Force Reserve unit, or any position that would have met the criteria mentioned in his July 30, 1973, statement. is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ...

On September 5, 1973, Bush requested discharge from service, to be effective on October 1. He wrote, "I am moving to Boston, Massachusetts to attend Harvard Business School as a full time student."^[35] Jerry Killian recommended approval of the discharge the following day. Bush had completed five years, four months, and five days toward his six-year service obligation. is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Harvard Business School, officially named the Harvard Business School: George F. Baker Foundation, and also known as HBS, is one of the graduate schools of Harvard University. ...

On October 1, 1973, Bush was honorably discharged from the Texas Air National Guard and transferred to the inactive reserves in Denver, Colorado. He was discharged from the Air Force Reserve on November 21, 1974. is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by James Blunt, see 1973 (song). ... A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve. ... Denver redirects here. ... is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ...

George Bush's Discharge

There are anomalies and inconsistencies on George Bush’s discharge [4] that indicate irregularities and call to question the nature of his discharge.^{[citation needed]}

• In the “term of enlistment” box, it says “indef,” but Bush’s date of service was definite—due to last until May 26, 1974, according to documents Bush signed.[5] His early discharge completely contradicts this signed document. No document has been found that releases him from this date other than his discharge.^{[citation needed]}

• Civilian occupation box is out of date: Bush had not been employed by Allison and Treveleyan for almost a year. (cited above: "... since his campaign job had ended in November....") His last known job prior to this was for Project P.U.L.L., Houston, in spring of 1973. (cited above: "...Back in Houston, in late 1972 or early 1973, Bush did unpaid volunteer work for a number of months with an inner-city poverty program, Project P.U.L.L....")

• Military Occupation specialty and number: ”1125D Pilot.” George Bush was not qualified to hold the AFSC 1125D Pilot at this time; he had been suspended from flight status on August 1, 1972. When he was suspended for failure to take his physical, his flight status became invalid by regulation AFM35-13 para 2-11d.^{[citation needed]} His superiors were supposed to change his AFSC to indicate a grounded status at this time according to regulation AFM 35-13 Para 2-7b2b (ibid) and publish orders to this effect by regulation AFM35-13 Para 2-12e (ibid) but they never did, which allowed Bush to continue getting paid for pilot’s duty he was not performing. There is no document showing Bush reassigned/reclassified after his suspension: he was paid thereafter for pilots duty he has admitted he didn’t do and could not have done, having been suspended from doing it.

• Bush is not credited with any medals on this discharge, although he was authorized two: the National Defense Service Medal for 6 months of active duty and a pistol qualification badge. He lost the pistol qualification when he was stripped of all his qualifications but the NDSM should be here and its lack shows that not only was he stripped of all his qualifications but his medals also. TAFMS and TAFCS are not medals, they stand for, respectively, Total Active Federal Military/Commissioned Service. These are tallies of types of training days: there should be a colon and a number after these entries indicating time in category, but there is not. No explanation has been provided for why there are no colons or numbers after these entries, and there is no reason for the personnel officer to put them in without the full entry, suggesting that these entries were erased or whited out later.^{[citation needed]}

• The lines in the Remarks box run at a noticeably different angle than the lines on the rest of the page and the margins are different also, suggesting that this document may have been retyped. In the remarks box is the statement “Officer has a 6 year obligation... and has completed 5 years, 4 months and 5 days...” which plainly states that Bush did not complete his 6 year commitment. In this tally of 5 years, 4 months and 5 days, nine months are counted for which there are no pay records or unit records [6]

Ribbon for the National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal is a military decoration of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. ...

Release of military records

During the 2000 presidential campaign, various military records of Bush were made public by the Bush campaign. Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

On February 13, 2004, more than 700 additional pages of documents on Bush's service were released, including those from the National Personnel Records Center, under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act. This release is claimed by some to contradict the February 8, 2004, statement by Bush to Meet the Press interviewer Tim Russert that "We did [authorize the release of everything] in 2000, by the way." In response, Bush contended that he was referring only to documents already in his possession, as opposed to the newly released documents from military sources. is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Personnel Records Center is an agency of the National Archives and Records Administration and is divided into two large Federal Records Centers located in St. ... The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is the implementation of freedom of information legislation in the United States. ... is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Timothy John Russert, Jr. ...

On June 22, 2004, The Associated Press sued the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force, seeking access to all of Bush's records during his military service. is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... Department of Defense redirects here. ... “The U.S. Air Force” redirects here. ...

On July 8, 2004, the Pentagon reported that the microfilmed payroll records of Bush and numerous other service members had been inadvertently ruined in 1996 and 1997 by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service during a project to salvage deteriorating microfilm. The records lost included those covering July through September 1972, when Bush's claims of service in Alabama are in question, and the Pentagon reported that no paper backups could be found. is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the United States military building. ... Microfilm machines may be available at libraries or record archives. ... The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), an agency of the United States Department of Defense, provides finance and accounting services for the military and other members of defense. ...

On July 23, 2004, the Pentagon reported that the records it had previously reported destroyed had been found. A Pentagon official said the earlier statement that the records were destroyed was an "inadvertent oversight." The Pentagon released computerized payroll records covering Bush's 1972 service. Like the records released earlier by the White House, the newly released documents did not indicate that Bush performed any drills, in Alabama or elsewhere, during July through September 1972. is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On September 7, 2004, the White House released the flight logs recording the flights done by George Bush as a pilot. A Pentagon spokeswoman said the logs were found at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, which is the central repository for veterans' records. She said the logs were found among a batch of records sent to St. Louis from Norton Air Force Base in 1993, which were originally thought to contain records of active-duty officers rather than of National Guardsmen such as Bush. is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Norton Air Force Base was a military installation of the United States Air Force located 58 miles east of Los Angeles, California near the City of San Bernardino in San Bernardino County. ...

On September 24, 2004, under court order resulting from an earlier FOIA lawsuit filed by the Associated Press, the Pentagon releases documents. ^{[36] [37]} is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On September 29, 2004, the White House released a November 1974 document, saying it had been in Bush's personnel file and that it had been found by the Pentagon. is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On October 5, 2004, more than a week after a court-imposed deadline to turn over all records of Bush's military service, the Texas Air National Guard produced two previously unreleased documents (four pages of records) that include Bush's orders for his last day of active duty in 1973. For other uses, see 5th October (Serbia). ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On October 14, 2004, two weeks after Texas National Guard officials signed an oath swearing they had turned over all records, the Texas National Guard released 31 additional pages of documents found by two retired Army lawyers who went through Guard files under an agreement between the Texas National Guard and The Associated Press, which sued to gain access to the files. A Guard spokesman defended the continuing discoveries, saying Guard officials didn’t find all of Bush’s records because they are disorganized and in poor shape. "These boxes are full of dirt and rat (excrement) and dead bugs. They have never been sitting in an uncontrolled climate," said Lt. Col. John Stanford. "It’s a tough task to go through archives that were not set up in a way that you could easily go through them."^[38] is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Memos allegedly from Jerry Killian

Main article: Killian documents

The Killian documents were initally claimed by CBS to have come from the "personal files" of the late Lt. Col. Jerry B. Killian, Bush's squadron commander during Bush's Air National Guard service.^[39] They describe preferential treatment during Bush's service, including pressure on Killian to "sugar coat" an annual officer rating report for the then 1st Lt. Bush. CBS aired the story amid more releases of Bush's official records by the DoD, including one just the day before as the result of an FOIA lawsuit by the Associated Press. ^[40] According to analyses done by the media, the official records show discrepencies in Bush's military service, and initially the Killian documents were regarded as only shedding "new light" on issues found in the official records. ^{[41] [42] [43]} The Killian documents were alleged to be fakes by bloggers, starting with a Free Republic posting by Harry MacDougald, a conservative Republican lawyer posting anonymously under the pseudonym of "Buckhead". MacDougald alleged that the formatting shown in the documents used proportionally fonts that did not come into common use until the mid to late 90's and were therefore likely forgeries. ^{[44] [45][46]} One of the Killian documents. ... DOD or DoD may refer to: Australian Department of Defence United States Department of Defense Department of Defence of the Republic Of Ireland Date of death Date of discharge Day of Defeat, computer game Delivery of deed Draft on demand DrinkOrDie, a software cracking and warez trading network Diary of... The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is the implementation of freedom of information legislation in the United States. ... The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... Free Republic is a for-profit, non-tax exempt [1] moderated Internet forum, activist and chat site for conservatives, primarily within the United States. ...

The forgery allegations subsequently came to the attention of the mainstream media, especially after some experts also questioned the documents' authenticity and lack of a chain of custody. ^[47][48][49] The original documents have never been submitted for authentication. The man who delivered the copies, Lt. Col. Bill Burkett, a former officer in the Texas Army National Guard, claims that he burned the originals.^[50] Bill Burkett was the CBS source in the allegedly unsubstantiated Killian documents affair of 2004. ...

CBS and Dan Rather initially defended the documents and the report,^[51], but on September 20, CBS News stated that it had been "misled" and that it could not authenticate the documents and should not have used them.^[52] CBS then formed an independent panel headed by former U.S. Attorney General Dick Thornburgh and retired Associated Press president Louis D. Boccardi to investigate the story and the handling of the Killian memos. ^[53] The final report of the panel, while not addressing the authenticity of the documents, faulted many of the decisions made in developing the story, and producer Mary Mapes along with three others were forced to resign from CBS News.^[54] Prior to the panel report being completed, Rather announced the date of his retirement,^[55], left "60 Minutes Wednesday", stepped down as anchor on March 9, 2006 and then left CBS altogether on June 20, 2006. ^[56] The CBS news show that had aired the memos, "60 Minutes Wednesday" was canceled on May 18, 2005, allegedly due to poor ratings and not because of the memos broadcast.^[57] In September, 2007, Rather sued CBS and its former parent company, Viacom, for $70 million, claiming that he had been made a "scapegoat" over the memos story. ^[58] Daniel Irvin Rather, Jr. ... is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Mary Mapes is an American journalist and television news producer. ... The Scapegoat by William Holman Hunt, 1854. ...

Rewards offered for information

Several organizations and individuals offered cash rewards to those who could offer proof that Bush had fulfilled certain military obligations.

On October 14, 2000, the Birmingham (Alabama) News reported that a group of Alabama veterans offered $1,000 to "anyone with proof that Texas Gov. George W. Bush actually served in the Alabama National Guard." It went unclaimed.^[59] is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ...

On February 23, 2004, cartoonist Garry Trudeau, creator of Doonesbury, personally offered a highly-publicized $10,000 reward (in the form of a donation in the winner's name to the USO, which entertains U.S. troops) to anyone who had "personally witnessed" Bush reporting for drills at Dannelly Air National Guard Base between May and November 1972.^[60] As of yet, the reward has not been paid. is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Cartoonist Jack Elrod at work. ... Garry Trudeau Garretson Beekman Trudeau (born July 21, 1948, in New York City) is an American cartoonist, best known for the Doonesbury comic strip. ... Doonesbury is a comic strip by Garry Trudeau, popular in the United States and other parts of the world. ... The United Service Organizations The United Service Organizations Inc. ...

On February 27, 2004, Trudeau announced that despite over 1,300 responses, his offer had unearthed no new evidence to show that Bush actually turned up for duty in the time period in question. A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee dismissed the reward as a "silly stunt." Trudeau agreed, saying, "She's right, but as a simple investigative cartoonist, I don't have a very big tool kit."^[61] is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Republican National Committee (RNC) provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. ...

In September 2004, the 527 group "Texans for Truth", offered a $50,000 reward to anyone who could prove that Bush fulfilled his service requirements by either "first-hand, eye-witness testimony," or authentic "documentary evidence."^[62] As of 2007, the reward has still not yet been paid. A 527 group is a type of tax-exempt organization named after a section of the United States tax code, created primarily to influence the nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates for public office. ... Texans for Truth (TfT) is a political advocacy organization, registered under Section 527 of the United States tax code, formed to oppose George W. Bushs re-election efforts in the 2004 presidential election. ...

References