Guard Stint a Sweet Deal for Fortunate Son

Re “White House Counters Attack on Bush’s Military Service,” Feb. 4: As hundreds of members of the National Guard are risking their lives in Iraq, President Bush will still not explain why he apparently was missing from service for an entire year during his own term in the Air National Guard.

Military records pertaining to this year seem to have mysteriously disappeared. Bush campaign chairman Mark Racicot’s official statement, “President Bush served honorably in the National Guard. He was honorably discharged,” certainly doesn’t address it.

Now Bush’s spokesman tells us it’s “shameful” to even bring it up and “sad to see some stoop to this level.” Responses like this from the White House to valid questions are what’s really shameful.

Bonnie Peterson

Tustin

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Racicot calls “despicable” the charges that Bush may have served less than honorably in the National Guard. In truth, it was the rush to war in Iraq by this administration -- whose members largely managed to avoid armed conflict -- that was despicable.

How ironic is it that while less-fortunate sons flew combat missions over Hanoi, our commander in chief was flying over Houston?

Jim Anderson

Sherman Oaks

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Most people don’t realize that a class system exists in this country. Only a privileged few can go AWOL from their National Guard unit in May, wait until September to get permission to do “alternate” service and then fail to show up. When those privileged few feel like showing up a year later, they can do their service as quickly as possible so they can get out in time to attend Harvard Business School.

Such a sweet deal. I wonder if any of the servicemen in Iraq can finish their duty when and where they feel like it?

Suzanne Corwin

Westlake Village