What other person in our history received a commission after three weeks

[Bandit]

in the service with no training what-so-ever? Bush* managed to do just that and I'm curious as to the how and why of it. No one else in our countries history has ever received such an honor to my knowlege. Every other "Special Commission" has been on the battlefield.

[displacedtexan]

1. I read that it was 6 weeks...

upon completion of basic training. He already had a college degree, which made the commission possible after basic.

[TacticalPeek]

2. But no ROTC.

My understanding is the only ones on record that fast were field commissioned noncoms, or doctors, dentists etc.

[Bridget Burke]

3. It was a "special" commission.

"As soon as Bush completed basic training, his commander approved him for a 'direct appointment', which made him an officer without having to go through the usual (and difficult) Officer Candidate School. This special procedure also got Bush into flight school, despite his very low scores on aptitude tests ....

"What made Bush's appointment doubly unusual was his total lack of special qualifications. This procedure was generally reserved for applicants with exceptional experience or skills, such as ROTC training or engineering, medical or aviation skills. Tom Hail, a historian for the Texas Air National Guard, reviewed the Guard's records on Bush for a special exhibit on his service after Bush became governor. Asked about Bush's direct appointment without special skills, Hail said 'I've never heard of that. Generally they did that for doctors only, mostly because we needed extra flight surgeons.'"

www.atomicmule.com/news/news77d.html

I'm tempted to make a comparison with the "Special" Olympics--but I don't want to insult those people who actually try to achieve something, even if they weren't dealt the best hand.