...this is a section from a work in progress I'm trying to finish up.
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A brief history of George W Bush. Part 1. 1946 – 1974The items included in this account will have sources extensively referenced. Each reference is indicated by a number. Ie: (1). Going to entry (1) on the reference list at the bottom of the article will show the source of the information. Whenever possible, this will be an online link to make it easier for the reader to check the accuracy of the account for themselves. The tendency of certain parties and groups during this election to throw around completely unsubstantiated claims in order to smear the other side makes this necessary.
July 6, 1946: Born in New Haven, Connecticut.
September 1964: After scoring a 566 verbal and 640 math on his SATs (1) he is accepted at Yale where his father (a congressional candidate) and grandfather (senator, 1952 – 1963) are both influential alumni. The average SAT score of a student accepted to Yale that year were 661 verbal and 704 math (2- page 37). Bush’s scores placed him in the lowest 10% of admitted students (verbal) and in the lowest 25% of admitted students (math) (2 –page 38), which apparently didn’t present any obstacle for Bush’s application.
1964-65: Bush scores, among others, a 71% in Political Science 13b, a 70% in Sociology 55a, a 71% in Economics 10, a 69% in Science II (Astronomy) and a 76% in English ... a C average. (3)
Christmas, 1965: Bush is arrested for stealing a Christmas wreath from a hotel with a group of intoxicated friends and charged with disorderly conduct. (4 – 2/3rds down the page) (6 – page 37). The charges are later dropped.
1964-1969: During the course of his entire stay at Yale Bush manages to climb up into the 80s in a handful of classes, even managing 3 different 88s over the 4 year period... while getting comfortable with his 70s average in most other classes. (3)
His performance prompts his joking remark later in life (after being elected president) when speaking before a class at Yale.
“To the C-students, I say, you too can be president of the United States". (5) It was widely noted at the time that it also probably didn’t hurt if your father was president.
Jan 22, 1968: With his student draft deferment about to run out upon graduation and the Vietnam draft at it’s peak Bush takes an Air Force Officers Qualification Test (AFOQT). The records of the test results show he scored a 25% on the pilot aptitude portion of the test. The records also show another score was crossed out and the 25% then written in (the previous entry is unreadable) and then initialed by “RJI”. Presumably this is the test control officer who signed the form, Ralph J Ianuzzi. . (6 – page 25)
25% on the pilot aptitude portion of the test is the absolute lowest acceptable score for becoming a pilot. (8)
Pilot slots in the Guard had some of the shortest, and therefore easiest to circumvent, waiting lists. Do in most part because of the stringent requirements for becoming pilots.
According to the U.S. Air Force:
“It is highly recommended that individuals interested in being pilots should strive to achieve scores in the 70s or above.” (8 – bottom of page)
May 1968: Bush graduates Yale with a cumulative percentage of 77% and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. (3)
May 27 1968: Bush applies for a pilot slot in The Texas Air National Guard. He is immediately accepted based no doubt on his stellar qualifications. According to National Guard historian Tom Hail the unit he is assigned to (The 147th at Ellington AFB) already has 27 active duty pilots, putting them 2 short of their full strength. They also have 2 pilots in training and another pilot awaiting a transfer to the unit… and therefore no shortage of pilots.
Bush’s application specifically states that he does not volunteer to serve overseas. (6 – page 22)
As part of his application Bush submits a signed Letter of Intent stating that he is applying
“…with the goal of making flying a lifetime pursuit and I believe I can best accomplish this to my own satisfaction by serving as a member of the Air National Guard as long as possible.” (6 – page 23)
May 29 1968: Bush is recommended for a direct appointment to 2nd lieutenant right out of basic airman training without officer training school. (6 – page 22)
While such direct appointments were available where necessity called for it, a direct appointment to 2nd lieutenant directly from basic was unheard of except in the case of medical doctors who were becoming flight surgeons, for which there was very high demand for properly qualified candidates. A direct appointment of an airman with absolutely no flight experience of any kind just to fill a pilot’s slot that didn't need filling was extremely unusual.
June 9, 1968: Bush's student deferment expires. If he had not already been in the Guard, he now would have been eligible for the draft.
August 28, 1968: Upon completion of his basic airman training, Bush is directly appointed by Special Order to 2nd lieutenant and immediately assigned to flight training at the 111th fighter interceptor squadron at Ellington AFB. (7 – page 7). His discharge papers from basic training dated 5 days later (7 – page 8) list his military qualifications as “none”, his prior service as “none”, and his service schools attended as “none”. It is however noted that he was an SAEMR award for small arms marksmanship.
March 1970: Bush is awarded his wings.
June 1970: Bush begins flying with the 147th, known to many as the "Champagne Unit". This unit consists of, among others, the highly qualified son of Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, the highly qualified son of Gov. John Connaly, and several members of the highly qualified Dallas Cowboys.
November 1970: Bush's father wins re-election to Congress. Bush is denied admission to the University of Texas School of Law.
January 11, 1972: The Department of Defense issues a directive to all military branches to
“establish the requirement for a systematic drug abuse testing program of all military personnel on active duty, effective 1 July 1972."April 16 1972: The last time Bush flies in the guard, despite having 2 years left on his piloting commitment to the guard. The circumstances surrounding his sudden grounding would later, during his presidential campaign, raise questions about possible drug use during his presidential campaign.
April 21, 1972: The new drug testing effort is officially launched by the Air Force. Instituting it as Air Force Regulation 160-23, the “Medical Service Drug Abuse Testing Program”. Serving personnel are informed that random drug testing will be instituted.
May 15, 1972: Bush moves to Alabama to work on Winton Blount's Senate campaign.
May 24: Nine days after moving to Alabama Bush submits a request to transfer to an Alabama unit. The 9921 Air Reserve Squadron. (9)
Which has no planes for pilot Bush to fly.
May 26th: The local commander of the unit, Colonel Bricken, accepts his request.
May 31st The request is rejected by the Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver Colorado because
"an obligated Reservist can be assigned to a specific Ready Reserve position only. Therefore, he is ineligible for assignment to an Air Reserve Squadron". (11)
Bush remains in Alabama anyway, despite the denial of his transfer request, and records indicate he simply never attends any Guard sessions at any unit. At the time the penalty for failing to meet Guard obligations was a tour of active duty.
Nobody appppears to go looking for Lt. Bush to impose this penalty.
August 1972: Bush's flight status is suspended for failure to take his mandatory annual flight physical.(7) The orders confirming his grounding state:
6. Verbal orders of the Cmdr on 1 Aug 72 suspending 1STLT GEORGE W BUSH <blacked out>, ANGUS (Not on EAD), TX ANG, Hq 147 Ftr Gp, Ellington AFB, Houston TX, from flying status are confirmed, exigencies of the service having been such as to preclude the publication of the written orders in advance. Reason for suspension: Failure to accomplish annual medical examination. Off will comply with para 2-10, AFM 35-12. Authority: Para 2-29a, AFM 35-13.
7. Verbal orders of the Cmdr on 1 Sep 72 suspending MAJ JAMES R BATH <blacked out>, ANGUS (Not on EAD), TX ANG, Hq 147 Ftr Gp, Ellington AFB, Houston TX, from flying status are confirmed, exigencies of the service having been such as to preclude the publication of the written orders in advance. Reason for suspension: Failure to accomplish annual medical examination. Off will comply with para 2-10, AFM 35-12. Authority: Para 2-29a, AFM 35-13.
BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARIES OF THE ARMY AND THE AIR FORCE
FRANCIS S. GREENLIEF, Major General, USA
Chief, National Guard BureauParagraph 2-10, AFM 35-13 states:
When a Rated Officer Fails To Accomplish a Medical Examination Prescribed by AFM 160-1…(1)The local commander who has authority to convene a Flying Evaluation Board will direct an investigation as to why the individual failed to accomplish the medical examination. After reviewing the findings of the investigation, the local commander may convene a Flying Evaluation Board or forward through command channels a detailed report of the circumstances which resulted in the officer’s failure to accomplish a medical examination, along with a recommendation that the suspension be removed. (2) The individual’s major command will forward the report along with the command recommendation to USAFMPC/DPMAJD, Randolph AFB TX 78148 for final determination.”No record of that investigation ever being performed exists, and no request was made to reinstate Bush’s flight status for the remainder of his time in the Guard.
September 5, 1972: After 4 months in which he has served not an hour of guard duty and is absent against orders from his officially assigned duty station in Ellington he repeats his transfer request, this time to the 187th Tac Recon Group, and receives written authorization to transfer. (8) His flight status remains suspended. He still doesn't take his physical.
September 1972: Bush's superiors in Texas are unable to write his evaluation because, quote “Lt. Bush has not been observed at this unit during the period of report.”.
October 1, 1973: Bush is released from the Guard 8 months early to attend Harvard Business School for having so satisfactorily fulfilled his commitment to the Texas Air National Guard, after spending a total of 13 months upon his graduation from flight school as an active pilot… and 18 months on the ground, the last 14 of which he was suspended from flying.
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(1)
http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/20/timep.affirm.action.tm/(2)
http://www.yale.edu/oir/book_numbers_original/b.pdf(3)
http://www.iuptown.com/YaleProtest/bushs_yale_transcript.htm(4)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/dui.htm(5)
http://slate.msn.com/?id=111513(6)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/bushdocs/3-Grade_Determination.pdf(7)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/bushdocs/1-Enlistment_Packet.pdf(8)
http://www.afrotc.com/admissions/afoqt/===========================================================
And that's before we even hit his DUI or his Arbusto/Spectrum 7/Harken days...
As I said, a work in progress. I still have to flesh out the references more and significantly extend the timeline. Right now the entire thing extends up to 1994 but I plan on taking it right through to present day. I was hoping to have it finished weeks ago but I keep getting side-tracked by my pesky job.
-Grant
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