Dear Mr. Lambard,
Thanks very much for your note. I knew much of this information, but you
provided many significant details. And I especially appreciate your describing
your own experience in contrast to Bush's. The point of my article was not to
detail Bush's service (or lack of service) but to address the broader issue of
how people feel about whether or not a candidate has served as well as how this
leads many people to reexamine their own experience. I can understand how many
veterans would be offended by Bush's apparent ability to skate out of his
obligation. I was a US Navy "tailhooker" for five years, including a combat tour
in Vietnam, so the issue is personal with me as well.
Brad Knickerbocker
The Christian Science Monitor
In a message dated 2/6/04 4:40:20 AM Pacific Standard Time,
mhlambard@gulftel.com writes:
> Subj: Bush's military service
> Date: 2/6/04 4:40:20 AM Pacific Standard Time
> From: mhlambard@gulftel.com (Massey Lambard)
> To: bradknick@aol.com
>
> Here is e-mail from Massey Lambard (mhlambard@gulftel.com):
>
> Responding to:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0206/p01s03-uspo.html>
> It seems to me you kind of skimmed over Bush's time in the Texas Air
> National Guard.
>
> I send this out every time it comes up in the media or on the web. Maybe
> somewhere it will
> get some traction. Feel free to use any or all of this, with or without
> attribution.
>
> At the time I joined the guard (1963), my unit, unlike Bush's,
> was in dire need of pilots.
> The 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing and the 106th Tactical
Reconnaissance
> Squadron were
> recalled to active duty in France, in October 1961, during the Berlin
> Crisis.
> The units were relieved from active duty in August, 1962.
> Many of the pilots elected to remain on active duty and make a career
> of the Air Force.
>
>
> I heard about their pilot training program and just walked in off the
> street. I took a 4 hour Air Force Officer Qualification Test (AFOQT,
> basically the old Stanine general intelligence test) and another four hour
> Flight Aptitude test. I passed both, although I don't remember what a
> passing grade was. I do remember that 8 or 10 of us were taking the tests
> and only 2 of us passed. I also took and passed a flight physical with the
> base flight surgeon. You DO NOT take a flight physical with your
> "personal" physician. ONLY an Air Force Flight Surgeon can administer this
> examination.
>
> While my test papers and applications were
> forwarded to National Guard Bureau in Washington for processing and
> approval, the FBI ran a security check on me. A few weeks later I was
> notified that all preparations were complete and that I could present
myself
> at the monthly drill week-end for swearing in with a temporary commission
as
> a 2nd Lt. No boot camp, no nuthin'. The temporary commission was to
become
> permanent upon my successful completion of pilot training.
>
> A few months later, my unit secured a slot for me in a USAF pilot training
> class. It was a 55 week program. When I was awarded my wings, I returned
> to Birmingham, AL (106th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 117th Wing,
> Alabama Air National Guard) and 90 days of active-duty-for-training
> to check out in our unit's aircraft, the RF-84/F. I then completed my 6
> year obligation and was honorably discharged with the rank of Captain.
>
> A couple of more points:
> 1. It's highly unusual that Bush was mustered out as a 1st Lt. If you kept
> your nose relatively clean, you made 1st Lt. 3 years after your commission
> as a 2nd Lt. Two years later, you made Captain. As long as you just put
> your time in, it was automatic. That he didn't make Captain prior to his
> discharge is very telling. Reason : He wasn't there long enough.
> 2. An Honorable Discharge is NOT "evidence" that he served his time. This
> is one of the strongest
> "talking points" used by his supporters.
> It IS evidence that his commanding officers violated ANG rules and
> regulations. It's called "covering one's derriere". Had they NOT given
him
> an honorable discharge it would have called attention to the fact that they
> gave him a pass and pointed up a serious dereliction of duty on their part.
> Massey Lambard
> Foley, AL
>
> AWOL? Deserter? Here are the FACTS.
>
> Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ)
>
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ucmj.htm#802.%20ART.%202.%20PERSONS%> 20SUBJECT%20TO%20THIS%20CHAPTER
>
> 802. ART. 2. PERSONS SUBJECT TO THIS CHAPTER
> (3) Members of a reserve component while on inactive-duty training, but in
> the case of members of the Army National Guard of the United States or the
> Air National Guard of the United States only when in Federal Service.
>
> Bush was not in Federal Service, thus not subject to UCMJ, and therefore
not
> AWOL or a deserter under UCMJ.
>
> However, from the Texas Code of Military Justice, which Bush "may have
> been" (see below) subject to says:
> Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. § 432.130.
Desertion
> (a) A member of the state military forces is guilty of desertion if the
> member:
> (1) without authority goes or remains absent from his unit, organization,
or
> place of duty with intent to remain away permanently;
> (2) quits his unit, organization, or place of duty with intent to avoid
> hazardous duty or to shirk important service; or
> (3) without being regularly separated from one of the state military
forces,
> enlists or accepts an appointment in the same or another of the state
> military forces, or in one of the armed forces of the United States,
without
> fully disclosing the fact that he has not been regularly separated.
> (b) A commissioned officer of the state military forces who, after tender
of
> his resignation and before notice of its acceptance, quits his post or
> proper duties without leave and with intent to remain away permanently is
> guilty of desertion.
> (c) A person found guilty of desertion or attempt to desert shall be
> punished as a court-martial directs.
>
> Bush was certainly in violation of one or more of these sections, but
notice
> the law was passed in 1987, well after he was out of the guard. So far, I
> can find no information as to what the law was when Bush was in the TANG.
>
>
> I was a pilot in the ALAANG 1963-1972. I can find no documentation of
> Alabama
> ma military regulations on the web, but here's what I know to be true from
> personal experience:
>
> When I joined the guard to be trained as a pilot I signed an agreement, a
> "contract" if you will. Upon successful completion of USAF pilot training,
> I was committed for six years of service in the Alabama Air National Guard
> (ALAANG). Pilot training lasted a little over a year, so my basic
> obligation was for seven years.
>
> If I had done exactly the same thing Bush did, skipped out and not shown up
> for required drills and Flight Training Periods (FTPs):
>
> 1. I would have been located/contacted (if possible) by a superior officer
> on an "unofficial" level and asked about my absence. In reality, it would
> have been unthinkable for me or any of my squadron-mates to just drop out
of
> sight without any prior communication with my squadron or wing as to a
> reason for this.
> 2. If I had no satisfactory "unofficial" explanation I would be required to
> meet with an evaluation board of senior officers to explain my actions. If
> necessary, I would have been taken into custody by military police.
> 3. Now it gets "official" If the board found I had no acceptable excuse,
> they could offer three options.
> a. I could make up the missed periods, possibly by extending my
> obligation.
> b. If I was unwilling to do this, I could have been assigned to
> "involuntary active duty" (essentially "drafted"), probably into the Army,
> as a private, for a period not to exceed the balance of my obligation. At
> the time, that was a ticket straight to Viet Nam.
> c. If I refused, I could be sent to jail for the balance of my
obligation,
> probably to Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.
>
> You can see why it was in my best interest to show up each and every time
> with a shine on my shoes and a smile on my face. That Bush was able to
> shirk his obligation with absolutely no penalty angers me. It was wrong,
> and he should have paid. But he didn't. He had the right connections and
> he got off scot free.
>
> We can bemoan the fact, and wail and gnash our teeth, but there's no way
> (that I know of) that this wrong can be righted. I won't "get over it",
but
> I can move on. We can publicize this as much as possible, but he will
never
> be brought up on criminal charges over it. Periodically someone discovers
> www.awolbush.com for the first time and thinks "Aha!". Well, I'm glad you
> learned about it. Go tell others, for whatever that's worth. But don't
> think you will ever see Bush in a court of law, military or civilian,
> because of this. The only small, faint hope we have is the court of public
> opinion.
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