Military Service Record Is Only Part of the Story

Re “An Agile Pilot Who Flew Under the Radar,” Sept 27: If the National Guard’s men and women serving in Iraq had as much disrespect for their duty as President Bush did in 1972, we would have lost the war a long time ago. How can we retain a commander in chief who decided he had more important things to do than fulfill his commitment to his country at a time of war?

Nancy Chand

Culver City

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Bush has had his military history in the National Guard bisected, trisected, vivisected and masticated. He had nothing to hide, he signed a Form 180 releasing his records. On the other hand, John Kerry has refused to sign a Form 180 and release his official military records. He has based his campaign on his heroics in Vietnam, but he doesn’t want us to read his official record. What is in there he doesn’t want us to know?

Bud Yount

Santa Ana

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Don’t stop at analyzing Bush’s failure to complete his Guard duties. Look at the fact that he never could have entered Yale on the merits of his SAT scores. Look at the fact that he failed to gain admittance into a second-tier Texas law school because his LSAT scores were too low. Look at the fact that his first two businesses failed, and he was bailed out by friends of his father. Look at the fact that a third business almost failed, he sold his stock in it under questionable circumstances, and once he was no longer involved in a managerial role of that company, it actually did much better. And when you’re finished examining the facts, ask yourself if America deserves to have a likable loser for president, or a capable war hero like Kerry.

Douglas L. Hall

Los Angeles