Bush’s Service in National Guard

* That was an amazing expose on George W. Bush (“Bush Received Quick Air Guard Commission,” July 4). Your story proclaims: “There is no evidence of illegality or regulations broken” to get Bush into the Texas Air National Guard three decades ago. But that doesn’t keep The Times from two days of innuendo that surely something improper must have occurred.

Then there’s the nail in the coffin: “The Times attempted to obtain copies of the written regulations that governed how enlistees became officers” but [military officials] “ultimately were unable to find the old material.” If absence of illegality constitutes an indictment, absence of proof must certainly constitute conviction. At least in news stories.

MARK LANDSBAUM

Diamond Bar

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At the height of the Vietnam War buildup in 1966-67, I attended one of the longest schools in the U.S. Air Force. I watched Air National Guard people come and go. It was uncanny how many of them had familiar names. I would ask who they were, and they would typically respond, “Oh, my father is Senator so-and-so.” After training, they would go home while the rest of us would go off to the war.

Ask any average veteran where he would have to go to apply for any position and he would say the personnel office. It is called “chain of command.” But the likes of Bush (just like Dan Quayle) went straight to the commanding officer. You can bet your bottom dollar that Col. Walter Staudt was doing what he was told to do when he saw Bush in his office.

The Bushes and Quayles of America want to be our leaders. But they are not the patriots they claim to be. In fact, they have dishonored those who went to war and never came back.

RICHARD MASON

Los Angeles

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While your story points out that there is no evidence of abuse of influence in Bush having avoided a waiting list to receive pilot training with the Air National Guard, it nonetheless leaves the door open to such a charge by omitting an important detail. The Dallas Morning News interviewed the surviving members of the panel that approved Bush’s fast track into training. They say his application was expedited simply because he was one of the rare applicants willing to immediately commit to the 13-month full-time active duty status required to complete the training, in addition to possessing the necessary physical and educational requirements.

MICHAEL D. ALEX

San Dimas

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Your something-out-of-nothing “expose” of Bush’s military service would be laughable if it weren’t so frighteningly biased. Now let me get this straight: I should be wildly suspicious of a man who enlists, serves with distinction and earns the praise of his superior officers and his peers; but I should honor and respect a commander in chief who dodges the draft and demonstrates against his own country on foreign soil. Will the next 16 months be just another never-ending round of “a Democrat president at any cost” campaign coverage masquerading as news?

PAULA BECKER

Laguna Niguel

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Since when is it routine for members of the National Guard in one state to be transferred to work in a political campaign in another state? Separation of the military from the political process is as sacred in this country as separation of church and state. If this is what routinely goes on, it needs to be stopped.

While your investigation of Bush’s entry into the National Guard found nothing illegal, at the same time it was not fair. Our country was founded on the principle of fair and equal treatment. If we lose this, we lose everything.

Evidently Bush has been riding on his father’s coattails for years.

JOANN HOUSTON

Mission Viejo

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The article fails to describe the air guard role in Vietnam earlier in the 1960s: flying dangerous missions to transport troops in and out of combat situations. That political fortunes would change the direction and substance of the war in the ‘70s was certainly not known in 1968 when Bush enlisted. That the guard was used in covert situations like early Vietnam and the coup for the shah in Iran could be considered more risky for them than our modern all-out destructions.

JANET RICHARDSON

Newport Beach

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Great picture of 2nd Lt. George W. Bush in uniform. Just to be fair, how about running one of Clinton in uniform?

J.B. ANDERSEN

Pacific Palisades

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Since your critique of Bush’s military service seems to be at least partly unfounded, how about filling your readers in regarding Al Gore’s service record?

BOB MURRAY

Whittier

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Finally! I just figured out what George Bush meant by “a thousand points of light.” Those points of light are the privileged rich kids (like the former president’s son) who escaped serving in Vietnam with Daddy’s help.

SCOTT CHANDLER

Los Angeles

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The statement that the F-102 was unneeded in Vietnam is untrue. The aircraft did serve in Vietnam in an air defense role. Both regular Air Force and Hawaiian National Guard units manned F-102 detachments at Tan Son Nhut and Da Nang. Although the Texas Air National Guard was not one of the units called up to go to Vietnam and man these detachments, it was eligible to do so.

Bush had to know that by signing up with the guard and becoming combat ready in the F-102, he was placing himself in a position for possible Vietnam service.

JAMES S. THOMPSON

Col. USAF (Ret.)

Cloudcroft, N.M.

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My question is, how did The Times get its hands on Bush’s service record? This is privileged information and not available to anyone except the service member, and then with much difficulty.

RON FLETCHER

Fresno

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Since no illegalities are charged, the article on Bush serves no purpose other than to run interference for his presidential campaign. Is it news to anyone that children of privileged individuals get preferential treatment in this world?

J.S. KLEINSASSER

Bakersfield