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08/23/2004: And talking about Bush and his Air National Guard "service"....
There's an interesting thread on the Democratic Underground message boards that caught my eye, via a reference in Daily Kos.
In the armed services, we have a number of "I was there" medals and ribbons. Basically, if you can inflate your lungs without mechanical assistance and you don't cause a conspicuous amount of trouble (i.e., you don't get your ass court-martialed or sent to non-judicial punishment), you qualify for the award.
Apparently, the Texas National Guard (both Army and Air, near as I can tell) has such an award, the "Texas Faithful Service Medal". Basically, the governing statute for the award states:
Texas Govt Code §431.134 ¶1Basically, 5 years of satisfactory service--not exemplary, just satisfactory (even low-to-below average)--qualifies one for the award.
Texas Faithful Service Medal
The Texas Faithful Service Medal shall be awarded to a member of the state military forces who has completed five years of honorable service during which the person has shown fidelity to duty, efficient service, and great loyalty to the state.
Guess who didn't receive a Texas Faithful Service Medal at the end of his term of "service" in the Texas Air National Guard? Do I really have to answer that question?
Incidentally, this raises in my mind a question that you don't see a lot of folks raising. Bush got out of the Texas Air National Guard as a mere 1st Lieutenant (O-2), back during a period where it didn't take a lot to garner a promotion (almost as a matter of course) to Captain (O-3). [The more I think about this, the more it suggests to my military lawyer's mind that there's something hidden in Bush's record, very possibly an informal disciplinary matter like a reprimand or an extremely bad fitness report, that resulted in his failure to advance in rank.]
Hmmmmmmm..... Bush couldn't get his sorry ass promoted to Captain, and didn't receive an "I was there" medal that any member of the Texas Guard should have received for merely staying alive for 5 years.
The conclusion is unmistakeable: as far as the Texas Air Guard is concerned, Bush was a fuck up.
Len on 08.23.04 @ 08:46 PM CST
