Photos from the Vault

Ouch! Another terribly innacurate, if not somewhat biased, mention of “Draft Avoidence” by three prominant political figures.

Just to clarify:

Bill Clinton signed on to the ROTC program, and was soon AWOL (and is still legally obligated today). A significant detail of a letter he sent to his ROTC Commander to explain his absence and avoidence of military duty, was that he “loathed the military”. Since he was, and still is (you are not dropped from the program just because you don’t want to play), signed on for ROTC, he could not be drafted. However, legally, he can still be prosecuted.

Dick Cheney, like many college students of the day, had deferments due to school. I’m not saying I agree or disagree with his actions, but he did nothing illegal nor immoral.

President Bush joined the Texas Air National Guard, trained in fighter aircraft, and became a highly rated and admired pilot. Political ambitions took over his life, and he deferred his flight physicals to pursue his new future. He also did nothing illegal nor immoral. Dan Rather recently had his nose rubbed raw, when he tried to present poorly faked documents alledging Bush went AWOL, as real.

16,000 National Guardsmen went to Vietnam, nearly 3000 did not come home. Which makes President Bush the only of the three men with the distinct possibility to be sent to Vietnam. And before anyone says it….The National Guard (and its Colonial Militia, and state volunteer beginnings) has fought with distinction in EVERY American conflict since the French and Indian wars. We National Guard, have a powerful pride in our volunteer service to this country in battle and peace.

Your “toss it out there” sentence was very misleading.

By SSG David Medzyk on Aug 20, 2008

I think the point is that both Cheney and Bush had no problem sending people to war — in fact, they called it an honorable, brave thing to do — yet when it was their time to do the “honorably, brave” thing, they seemed less interested.

I guess it’s easier to be brave and honorable with someone else’s life.

As for Bush, I don’t think having political ambition is an excuse to “defer” his obligations. And while Rather was much maligned for that story, it was accurate.

By Mitch on Aug 22, 2008

Mitch, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Bush deferred his flight physical, which effectively removed him from flight status (no current physical, no stick time). That’s all. He remained an Air National Guardsman until his ETS (end time in service).

Please explain how a blatant lie, can be the truth? The so-called “proof” letter cited by Mr. Rather, was a complete fabrication…also known as a “lie”. Impossible to be accurate, as the purported situation never occurred.

As for the first part of your comment; We military people are ALL, 100% VOLUNTEERS. Meaning, that nobody sends us anywhere we did not ask to go. Just so you know… it is indeed an honorable, and brave thing to do.

Your childish blathering only shows your ignorance of the military, Congressional orders, and President Bush.

David, I did not take your posting as a slight to the Guard, I only wanted to better clarify the oft stated quote of “Bush, Cheney, etc” avoided Vietnam, by some nefarious means. Please remember, that millions of American Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen of the era also never went to Vietnam, serving instead in Germany, Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Africa, South America, and dozens of other posts and battle zones around the world.

By david medzyk on Aug 22, 2008

I’m sorry, David Medzyk, but you’re way off the mark. And your blind support of Bush makes you look like a sucker.

Do you really think he cares about the military? Remember Walter Reed and the GI Bill?

I’m sure there’s a way to blame Bill Clinton for that — just like it’s Clinton’s fault that Bush ignored bin Laden — but the fact is, this administration is no friend of the military. (Remember the body armor they refused to buy?)

And it’s well documented that Bush used his connections to get into the Guard and then refused to fulfill that safe obligation. But, hey — John Kerry’s the coward, right?

Of course, you’ll say all these facts about Bush’s military service is just media bias. But that’s what conservatives do: Because they know the facts make them look bad, they attack the messengers. That way it doesn’t matter if the truth is revealed — because no one will believe it.

There’s no liberal bias in the media. There’s truth. And the truth hurts.

And my “honorable and brave” comment, which you have twisted out of context (go figure) was applied to Bush and Cheney, not the military.

It’d be great if conservatives researched things for themselves (from real sources, not GOP bloggers like that Gannon guy the White House planted) rather than parrot what Rush drilled into their heads.

By Mitch on Aug 27, 2008

Mitch, I gave you reality, and once again you failed to accept it.

Walter Reeds BUILDING is in disrepair, NOT the medical care, which is, and always has been, world class….but that’s a reality you don’t want to know about.

The recent GI Bill debate, centered on the billions in pork spending your liberal friends wanted to tack on. THAT is why Bush refused to sign the corrupted bill. The meat of it was fine, it was all the fat that Bush wanted trimmed off…..but that’s another reality that you don’t want to know about.

Bush has presented all his records, and they have been pored over with a fine toothed comb. But, no discrepancies found, except for the FAKE personal report from a man that wasn’t rated to do a report on him. Experts (and not so expert) easily took the print (font)of the report to task, proving beyond a doubt that the form could NOT have been written on a manual typewriter. Regardless of political affiliation, that’s known as a LIE, and Dan Rather STILL falls for it.

Where is Kerry’s medical reports from Vietnam? Did you know a Purple Heart can only be awarded after the wounded has been seen and recorded by qualified medical personnel? Kerry claims at least 3 PH’s, yet NOBODY really knows why or how, except for John Kerry. Did you know that he did not throw his own medals over the White House fence? He had claimed vociferously for over 20 years that they were his. But the truth came out when campaign photo’s of him in his office, showed his Vietnam medals behind him on the wall. That is also known as a lie……but, there’s another reality check for ya Mitch.

Your “honorable and brave” comments were intended to be facitious and rude, both of which failed. You only showed all readers here, your terrific ignorance. I can only conclude that you have not served in America’s armed forces, but that reality doesn’t surprise me either.

I have fulfilled a total of 28 months n combat in Iraq, on two wholly volunteer tours (that means I asked combat units if they had a slot for me). I have no problem going again, and again, and again, until islamic terrorists, or any one else that wants to kill you, have been shown a better way to live….or not.

What have you done lately Mitch, to further freedoms and liberty of peoples around the world?

By SSG David Medzyk on Aug 28, 2008

Dave…….it’s a wonderfully nostalgic blog, and I, for one, appreciate the obvious hard work you put into researching and posting.

(great suck-up, no? )

By SSG David Medzyk on Sep 1, 2008

I went AWOL from the NG as I know the Iraq war is over oil, profit. If I saw rich kids go, Id go, otherwise I wont.

By Ray on Apr 12, 2009

SSG David,
First, thank you for your service. Second, I would like to ask you, if we had a draft today, and one without the exemptions of Vietnam, how much longer do you think the war in Iraq would continue? A draft would bring the reality of the war to many of us who can pretty much not think about it day by day for now.

By Bob on May 3, 2009

SSG David, how old are you? Because it sounds like you are a 55 year old staff sergaent in the National Guard who “volunteers” to go to Iraq because you get paid extra money to sit around all day in an air conditioned building inside a secure FOB. Don’t act like you are a great patriot who is putting his life on the line for our country.

By Daniel Higgins on Jun 8, 2009

Badmaouthing clinton and giving “I had other priorities then the military “cheney ,a pass is a case of talk show -revisionism-political overload. As ever the only good war lover is a wingnut draftdodger,,you must love Jhon Bolton on fox,,”I think the cost of the afghan -iraq war is worthit” in a recent interview he explained his ducking the military and viet as “I didnt want to die in asia”
Volunteer Vietnam

By mcnertny on Jul 13, 2009