George W. Bush was photographed wearing a ribbon he did not earn

We can clearly see that in this picture, George W. Bush is wearing an Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and a Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, however, on line 24 of his ARG22 National Guard discharge form, George W. Bush has NO awards listed:



Now, here in another picture where his father is pinning lieutenant bars on his shoulder, George W. Bush is again wearing the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon:



So, in fairness we must give George W. Bush the benefit of the doubt here. Let's dig further and look at other records released by the Bush campaign team. Our next stop is a a Form AF11 dated May 16, 1971. You will note on this document Bush has already been promoted to First Lieutenant:



All that is listed in this document is the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon. The Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is not listed.

Our next stop is the "military biography" released by the Bush Campaign:




In this document, the claim is made that Bush was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, BUT NO MENTION OF THE AIR FORCE OUTSTANDING UNIT AWARD!!! This document was clearly prepared after Bush's service ended.

Exhaustive searches for any indication that any unit Bush served with was awarded the AFOUA have, to date, yielded nothing. The ONLY documents released by the Bush administration related to his service that make mention of any awards whatsoever have been included in this report.

The only conclusion that can be made is George W. Bush wore a ribbon he did not earn in the above photograph.

Webliography:

USA Today source of documents used in this report: http://www.usatoday.com/news/2004-02-14-bush-docs.htm
Source for ARG22: http://www.usatoday.com/news/bushdocs/2-Discharge.pdf
Source for AF11: http://www.usatoday.com/news/bushdocs/11-4_2004_Personn...
Source for "military biography": http://www.usatoday.com/news/bushdocs/11-1_2004_Personn...

The Pabst Blue Ribbon for beer drinkin'

The word is spreading. I found this through a link at Buzzflash (http://www.buzzflash.com /). I am using the "side by side" comparison as my 'background'--pictures are worth a thousand words!

Unless that ribbon on his chest is one he got for good conduct at the dentist's office in Alabama, he didn't earn it!

On that topic: Has anyone brought up the fact that rich boy's (aka: "Fortunate Son")only documented appearance in Alabama was when he went to the dentist--on the taxpayers' dime? I thought republicans were against entitlements.

thats a good one, I never saw that before, should be on the front page

Right?

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/

LOL

I am absolutely convinced of it. That man is such an ASS.

Thanks for posting this.

If so, I'd love to buy you a beer some day.

And, may I use it?

Unfortunately for *, the AFOUA is not documented anywhere in the record.

Feel free to use, dispense, copy, whatever!



All that's important is that it gets out.

Great work on this.

When you win a Pulitzer, I'm gonna tell everybody that I knew you when!

and noticing that somethng just didn't jive between the picture and the record.

It all basically started out as an attempt to compare Kerry's awards to Bush's. I started by looking at National Guard medals because those are almost no-brainers and are given automatically in most cases.

Nothing.

Looked at the ANG22.

Nothing.

I knew I had seen pictures of * with ribbons, found some, and then was surprised to see the AFOUA. The SAEMR is almost a given. You really ahve to be a lousy shot to not earn that ribbon, but the AFOUA appeared in none of the documentation I had seen. My next step was to read every last bit of documentation that Bush has released. Low and behold, the AFOUA appeared in not a single document!

So basically, discovering this was an accident.

You ol' sleuth, you!

Did you see a red flag when you saw the picture of bush with "medals" on his chest?

Man, I hope this gets some National play..maybe moveon.org could move on it.

Since Kerry needs to be above the fray.

Thank you, Michael! We love you, too!

Every last award you see on Kery's chest is 100% documented in teh released DD214 and DD215.

There is a SAEMR on bush NGB22 when he was released from enlisted service to be commissioned. There are *NO* other awards listed on *ANY* official document released by Bush, not even the National Defense Service Medal they *claimed* he earned in the dubious *military biography*.

I just got here from a democrats.com link...the magic of the internet!

Thank you, Bob Fertis!

1. in the army, unit awards are things you wear while you are with a particular unit, but they arent "your" awards. So for example, when i was assigned to the unit I was in previously, I wore the Presidential Unit Citation because my unit had won it previously, but when I transferred to trial defense down the hall, I took them off because I was not with that unit anymomre. Assuming the Air Force operates the same, having an outstanding unit award on his uniform but not in his record would in fact be normal, provided he was in that unit and it was authorized said award.

2. My DD 214 was woefully wrong also, it didnt have my ARCOM that I earned as a PCS award, it didnt have my AAM for winning Brigade soldier of the year, it didnt have my good conduct medal, it didnt even have that I went to BNCOC. DD 214's are notoriously wrong.

As horrible a person as i think the current president is, i dont think this line of attack is going to be very effective given the above, but I reserve the right to be wrong lol

Sorry, but Army regs don't cut it with an Air force award. This award can even be issued with a Bronze Combat "V" device!

Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
In recognition of exceptionally meritorious service or outstanding achievement of a numbered unit whether in peacetime or wartime.

The following site will replace lost AFOUA's under the requirements listed:

http://www.amervets.com/replacement/afoua.htm#irq

Issue Requirements
You must submit the following:

An unaltered photocopy of your DD-214 or other military issued document clearly displaying your award of the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.


Contact The War Library if you do not have a DD-214: 1-310-532-0634.
Or, obtain a copy of your DD-214 from your military file.

George W. Bush wore a ribbon he DID NOT EARN!

and since the air force came from the army (and since i also spent two years at purdue in AFROTC) there is likely little difference on how the two services do these types of awards.

There are two separate groups you are confusing:

Group one was in the unit when the award was given, this group IS allowed to continue wearing the award even when not part of the unit anymore

Group two comes in after the award was given, usually decades later, this group would wear the award ONLY when part of the unit, after they left, they wouldnt wear it any longer.

I highly doubt this is a valid thing to hit him with, wish it were, but I would do a little more fact checking with this one.

Only the Army Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Commendation, and Superior Unit Award are authorized for temporary wear. The Korean Presidential Unit Citation is also authorized for temporary wear for members of the 2nd Infantry Division.

The AFOUA can ONLY be worn if you are in the unit during the period covered by the unit citation. There is an order published and it is in the file of each member who receives the award.

This order is NOT in Bush's record, nor does the AFOUA appear on ANY document including the "military biography" provided by the Bush campaign.

unit award that is only worn if you were in the unit during the period covered by the unit citation, were are you getting this from? Dont cite to some veterans group, you have to have Air Force Regs on this before you try to present this as an issue.

its a UNIT award, so I see no reason why only members of the unit who were there when the unit was awarded it would be the only ones authorized to EVER wear it. I can see why they would be the only ones authorized to wear it AFTER they retired or left the unit (thus why the Vets want to see your 214 with it specifically listed on there).

There is nothing that makes the AFOUA any different from the PUC, VUA or any of the other unit commendations. Why would it be considered differently, it isnt even the highest Air Force Award from what i can tell.

You are going to need a lot more proof than this I am afraid, I want to buy it, but it seems to me like its just like any other unit award, you wear when you are part of the unit and then take it off when you arent, or if you were there when the unit won it you get to keep it.

AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 36-2803; Chapter 4; Paragraph 4.2

Individual Entitlement. All assigned or attached people who served with a unit during a period for which a unit award was awarded are authorized the appropriate ribbon if they directly contributed to the mission and accomplishments of the unit.

Merely being in the unit during the period covered by the award is not enough in the Air Force. According to the regulations, one must have contributed to the mission and accomplishments of the unit in order to qualify, which means an order is published listing all members of the unit qualified to wear the award.

Bush's name appears on no such order.

I love being able to shoot holes in the arguments against the contention that Bush wore a ribbon he did not earn! As shown in the regulation, even unit awards in the Air Force, MUST BE EARNED BY THE INDIVIDUAL if the individual is to be authorized to wear the ribbon!

individual entitlement, that means can they wear it as an individual, not as a member of a unit. the same rule applies to all unit awards, you can only wear it permanently (i.e. individually entitled to it) if you were a member of the unit when that award was given.

You are picking and choosing what you want to see.

Read the entire Chapter 4 of AFI 36-2803. The Air Force makes NO PROVISIONS WHATSOEVER FOR WEARING A UNIT AWARD TEMPORARILY!

This is a practice of the United States Army, not the United States Air Force.

The AF Recruiter ribbon is worn temporarily at thirty days into recruitment duty. It becomes permanent after three years recruiting.

from the 70's?

I've found that alterations to the regulations are generally made when the uniform is significantly altered to show how to wear decorations after a uniform change, for corrections to clerical errors, or for the addition of awards or badges.

Hello?

Bueller? Bueller?

The Army does not allow the AFOUA for temporary wear, either.

AR 670-1, Chapter 29, Table 29.1:




In fact, as you will notice from the regulations, MOST unit awards are for permanent wear only to those members of the unit during the time covered by the citation.

In other words, the conventional kind. I don't know if we have any Air Guardsmen or AF Reservists here, but there are also ribbons that pertain to those branches exclusively, I am willing to assume that unit citations that are only awarded to reserve units are worn under much the same circumstances as active component awards. Note that the temporary nature of the AFOUA makes Bush's chest even more sparsely decorated than it already is.

The only awards the National Guard may cover with regulations are specific National Guard awards, (Texas Faithful Service Medal comes to mind).

Where the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award is concerned, the only authority is the Air Force regulations covering it as Air Force National Guardsmen are wearing the Air Force uniform.

If somebody leaves one branch and enters another, the new branch's regulations regarding the wearing of the ribbon apply, however, it applies only as regards placement. If you leave the Air force to join the Navy, you get a DD214 that will list the award and you may wear the award on your Navy uniform, but only wihtin the regulations of the Navy.

is the Air Force Reg, why are you quoting AR 670-1 which is an Army Reg??

I quoted the AR 670-1 as it had the table for awards that are worn temporarily in the Army, just to humor you. The Air Force has no such regulations for the temporary wearing of Unit Awards.

you are citing the ARMY Regulation.

Check all the ones that arent for temporary wear, they are ALL from NONARMY services.

The only time an Army member, the only one who would fall under AR 670-1, would have any of those other ribbons would be if he/she earned them with the unit.

Otherwise, they wouldnt be authorized for temporary wear because they wouldnt be part of another services unit while in the Army.

You are using Army Regs to prove that an Air Force unit citation in the Air Force is temporary...you are mixing apples and oranges.

You aren't poking holes in anything, you havent proven anything yet.

The Air Force *DOES NOT ALLOW THE WEARING OF UNIT AWARDS TEMPORARILY*. You will find nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in ANY Air Force regulation regarding the temporary wearing of Unit Awards.

I quoted the *Army* regulation as that is the *ONLY* place you will find such regulations.

shrub was a member?

But if it did, there are several documents that shrub released whe the award should eb present. It is not.

absolutely nothing that says that temporary wear is unauthorized, you havent shown ANYTHING discussing temporary wear period vis a vis the air force, all you have shown is the Army's regs and I have told you why that is apples and oranges.

The Army is NOT the only service that authorizes temporary wear.

You are wrong, you can be stubborn and keep on this all you want, but at the end of the day, you are going to turn out to be wrong because after ten years in the military and two in air force ROTC, I can tell you that i have a decent understanding of how unit awards work, that the most likely explanation is that it was a temporary wearing of a unit citation because he belonged to the unit...and until you come up with something from the air force regs that says temporary wear is unauthorized, you havent proved anything.

Tell ya what, go ahead and link to where you are pulling this regulation from.

There are *NO* instances where temporary wear of Unit Awards are authorized under AFI 36-2803, THE AIR FORCE AWARDS AND
DECORATIONS PROGRAM, or AFI 36-2903, DRESS AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF
AIR FORCE PERSONNEL.

It is simply not in any Air Force regulation. The Air force does not make any provisions for wearing unit awards *temporarily*.

Don't bother with this stuff. Just another vanity thread.

That is the current wording of the regulation. Might not the regulation have been different earlier?? Awards change as do criteria for wear. When I came in the Army, the Meritorious Unit Commendation was represnted by an embroidered wreath on the lower sleeve of the blouse with numerals for subsequent awards in the center of the wreath (as I changed units, my wife kept having to sew it on and take it off of my green and TW blouses. Later the embroidered wreath was changed to a red ribbon with a metal border with subsequent awards denoted by oak leaf clusters. Unless you go to the archives and determine which regulation was in effect then, you can't tell if it was authorized or not. Hell, the TXANG might have a local regulation, requiring all personnel to wear it. If you look at pictures of me from Vietnam, I am wearing green "combat leaders tabs" on my uniform which were not authorized for my type of unit. The battalion commander decided we were in a combat zone and told all of the company commanders and platoon leaders to wear them.

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Done Air Force, done Army. I agree with you.

check out if the Outstanding Unit Award was handed out for just being assign to the unit and therefore not an earn ribbon. I wore three ribbons on my right-side in the Army that were Unit Earned Citations; when I left the unit, I turned them in and they were never on my DD214 - don't know what the AF does.

This is an award that is earned when the Unit is awarded, and is worn forever more after that.

Don't believe me? Go look up biographies on Air Force Generals. Nearly every Air Force General will have this award from some unit they were a part of when the unit earned the award.

For those complaining about the DD214, look at Kerry's. Every last Unit award he earned is on either his DD214 or his DD215.

he made sure of it before he got out so there'd be no question later.

It seems logical to me that he'd have gotten those "automatic" medals you wrote about in the other thread IF he'd served all his time. That seems to explain why he was still a Lt. when he was discharged, too.

I just had a vision that somewhere J. Hatfield, the author of "Fortunate Son," is getting a lot of laughs out of all the investigations of Bush*.

but I believe all Air Force members back in the '80s had to attempt to qualify for the Marksman Ribbon. It's one of those things AF guys do, like running the mile and a half each year (yeah, they were a bunch of groaners; you should've heard them all gripe about having to run that mile and a half). Anybody who shoots above a certain percentage (90? 95?) gets the small-arms marksman qualifying ribbon. I'm pretty sure the ex had one for his dress blues. What I don't know is, since everybody is required to do marksmanship qualification shooting, if that ribbon shows up on their 'papers.' It may be that since it's required, and since it's sort of a 'gimme' for anybody who shoots well enough, they don't mark it, I don't know.

Any Air Force vets out there who know whether they put that small-arms expert ribbon on the paperwork? I sure don't remember ever looking at my ex's paperwork, so I couldn't say. Not saying you don't have anything there, just that you might want to tread cautiously about that one.

The AFOUA is listed NOWEHERE in his record, yet he is clearly wearing the award in the above photo. The SAEMR is listed in his form AF11 and in the "military biography".

BUSHES.

In l9?? during WWI, it was reported that Prescott Sheldon Bush (W's grandfather, Poppy's father) had received the Cross of the Legion of Honor, the Victoria Cross, and the Distinguished Service Cross "for a deed of rare valor and great military importance"

YET,

"Four weeks after the news of the decorated Prescott Sheldon Bush appeared in the newspaper, the following Notice appeared:

Editor State Journal:
A cable received from my son, Prescott S. Bush, brings word that he has not been decorated, as published in the papers a month ago. He feels dreadfully troubled that a letter, written in a spirit of fun, should have been misinterpreted. He says he is no hero and asks me to make explanations. I will appreciate your kindness in publishing this letter....

Flora Sheldon Bush.

Columbus,"

Prescott Bush was discharged in mid-1919, and returned for a short time to Columbus, Ohio. But his humiliation in his home town was so intense that he could no longer live there. The "war hero" story was henceforth not spoken of in his presence.

(The above is from Webster Tarpley's BUSH THE UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY)

AND THEN ....

THERE IS THE STORY TOLD BY POPPY OF HIS HEROIC BAILING OUT OF A PLANE ENGULFED IN SMOKE AND FIRE for which he received a medal as well and is considered a heroe ... except that there are reports that he doctored up his own story and that he actually bailed out (parachuted out) of a plane which was putting out a thin line of smoke, which he could have landed on the waters of Chichi Jima and at least attempted to rescue the two crewmen in the plane with him. The implication is that like a coward he bailed out, swimmed to the life raft and never once looked back to the two crewmen his actions sentenced to a sure death.

and now ... here is George being pinned with a ribbon he did not earn!
Just like the presidencies neither he nor his father earned and both of which they attained through trickery. GHWB to the Vice-Presidency in l980 through inflicting the OCTOBER SURPRISE ON JIMMY CARTER, and in l988 through the mud and slime he and his Lee Atwater inflicted on MICHAEL DUKAKIS ... and Junior, we all know too well, through the mafiosi arm of his brother Jeb and Jeb's equally mafiosi secretary of state Katherine Harris and their father's connections to an equally dishonorable Supreme Court.

And now out of this Journey full of mud and lies and trickery THAT HAS BEEN THE BUSHES JOURNEY FOR A WHOLE HOST OF GENERATIONS, they want to (and may be succeeding) in sliming Kerry while portraying themselves (as they have done time and time again) as the untarnished virtuosi Bush Family. That which they do not have, they do not strive to attain. They just confer it upon themselves.

That George H W Bush strafed Japanese fishermen who were in lifeboats during WW-II.

is ..... beyond: aggggggghhhhhhhh! I can't say it any other way.

Do you have any links handy for the GWHBush stuff? I'm not doubting you, I'd just like to have them, and others reading might too.

Here is an excellent link re the October Surprise:

Bush's Impending Watergate
By Harvey Wasserman
originally published on May 23, 1991

http://old.valleyadvocate.com/25th/archives/bushs_water...

George Bush should be impeached. Whether he will be impeached depends on the intestinal fortitude of Congress. But the evidence is clearly sufficient to begin proceedings.

The grounds for impeachment rest in the now-familiar circumstances around the 1980 Iranian hostage crisis. The story has circulated since the mid 1980s, but in recent weeks has gained startling new confirmation.

The circumstances are worth repeating: On November 4, 1979, radical Iranian students seized some 55 American citizens and began a crisis that lasted until the moment Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as president 444 days later.

Future historians may well blame President Jimmy Carter for the inception of the crisis. He ignored warnings that it could happen and stumbled badly once it began. Some may also wonder if he exploited the situation to deflect a challenge to his renomination from Sen. Edward Kennedy.

But by October of 1980, one thing was clear: If the hostages were released prior to the election, Carter would be re-elected. If not, Ronald Reagan would win. All major polls -- including one by the primary Republican pollster, Richard Wirthlin -- showed a 10 percent swing on just that issue.

-- much more --

Another:
May/June 1991, Page 11
Special Report
Reprise of the October Surprise: Is the Worst Surprise Still to Come?
By Richard H. Curtiss
http://www.washington-report.org/backissues/0591/910501...




"Congress will not formally investigate charges that the Reagan campaign stole the election in 1980, in large part because Israel's supporters on Capitol Hill do not want to put the spotlight on Israel's role, which during that period sold weapons to Iran in blatant disregard of President Carter."

—Prediction by Newsweek correspondent Eleanor Clift, on the NBC television talk show The McLaughlin Group, May 12, 1991

For regular readers of this magazine, there is little that is new in the current flurry of American media reports on the "October Surprise" of 1980, other than the fact that Gary Sick, a retired career Navy officer and a National Security Council Middle East adviser in President Jimmy Carter's White House, now is writing a book on the subject. His article in the April 15 New York Times, and a one-hour sympathetic examination of the evidence on PBS's "Front Line, " shown nationwide on April 16, left little doubt among open-minded readers and viewers that Ronald Reagan campaign officials promised arms and money to Iran to delay release of 52 American hostages until after the Nov. 4, 1980 presidential election.

-- more --

A few additional links (and, of course, google would probably turn up hundreds more):
Archive: October Surprise 'X-Files' Series (several articles)
http://www.consortiumnews.com/archive/xfile.html



Who is Jim Moore? Part Seven
CAMPAIGN 1980 & THE IRAN-CONTRA AFFAIR
©2002 by Jim Moore
(John Anderson, R. Secord, Ollie North -- quoting the above article)
http://www.geocities.com/omegareport/Authors/04-Moore-g...


INSLAW, OCtober Surprise, many other articles by Henry V. Martin
http://www.american-buddha.com/napa.sentinel.htm#THE%20...


ex-President Carter's Operation Desert Claw sabotaged?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
"Only Christian soldier is a good soldier" by Lt. Gen (R) James Vaught
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

The rest of the media will ignore it but he won't.

Hear! Hear! Send it to Hackworth!

he'll be able to determine immediately if your theory is sound, and his judgement will be credible.

teagles@hackworth.com

I asked him if he would please look at this thread.

So much so, that when Admiral Jeremy Boorda, Chief of US Naval Operations, was presented with evidence that he wore medals that he had not earned, he committed suicide in disgrace.

He was posthumously declared eligible to wear the "valor" decorations, but that was two years later.

For more info, check out the Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Michael_Boorda

Walt, if you're right, then this is far bigger deal than the "he said, she said" bullshit that Kerry is fending off right now. Granted, these are low-level medals from a National Guard post, but regardless, it is an affront of the highest order to wear a medal you haven't earned.

-MR

Bush served in the 111th Fighter Intercept Squadron which is a subordinate organization of the 147th Fighter Intercept Group. Now, the 147th earned the AFOUA in 1966, but Bush did not join the guard until 1968.

And even if the 147th earned the AFOUA during the period of Bush's service, neither he nor the 111th automatically get the award.

AFI36-2803 Chapter 4 covers this. Paragraph 4.2 clearly shows individual entitlement:

Individual Entitlement. All assigned or attached people who served with a unit during a period for which a unit award was awarded are authorized the appropriate ribbon if they directly contributed to the mission and accomplishments of the unit.

...and paragraph 4.5 covers subordinate organizations:

4.5. Units Sharing in the AFOUA or AFOEA:
4.5.1. Subordinate activities do not automatically share in an award with the parent unit or organization. Organizations can share their award only with like subordinate organizations (i.e., for a numbered parent organization, only numbered subordinate units may share; for an unnumbered parent organization, only unnumbered subordinate units may share unless otherwise specified in this AFI).
4.5.2. Identify each sharing subordinate activity in the parent organization nomination.
4.5.3. Host organizations may identify tenant units to share in the award providing the tenant units’ parent major commands concur.

What all this means is, if Bush was authorized to wear this ribbon, orders would have been cut and would appear in his personnel record. Any such record is absent from the record Bush has produced.

Way to go!

http://www.dailykos.com/

did he have to enlist cause a draft was imminent until he got placed in national guard. havent heard what is with this yet. he was enlisted and was apr administrative specialist?

whats up with that. has anyone heard the story in this

was instituded by Nixon, so it could not have come before 1969. In fact I remember my senior year in High School (69-70) was the first year of the Lottery. This means that so long as Dubya was of draft age in 1968 (18-27) he could have been called at any time.

Once the Lottery was established, you only had to worry about being drafted the year you turned 19. If your number was low, you would probably get called. Most people I knew who had low numbers went ahead an enlisted so that at least they had some choice into what branch they would serve and had more say regarding the type of duty they would be assigned even though it meant a four year stint rather than two for the draftee. If you waited for the draft, you were pretty much guaranteed a front row seat on the front line. Everyone I know tried the Reserve first (all were turned down), then the Coast Guard (one friend got in), then the Navy and Air Force, which accepted most of them unless they where way low on the standard tests they gave.

Prior to 69, the draft boards still had all the control on who would or wouldn't get a draft notice. It was pretty well known that if your family had pull with a congressman, your name could pretty much be guaranteed not to come up or you could get a deferment. Deferments pretty much went away when the lottery came in.

I think Dubya would have preferred not to have served at all, but Poppy insisted and secured him the position in the champaign unit in the Guard rather than an under the table deal to keep the draft from getting him.

The lottery was instituted when I first got to college in 1970-71, not 1969-70.

...then Bush should be able to immediately clear it up.

Right?

The question needs to be asked.

Has anyone contacted Helen Thomas?

Look at this page:

http://www.usndemvet.com/blog/archives/000656.html

Prescott Sheldon Bush was so humiliated by the false stories of his made-up medals that he had to move away from his home town when he returned home.

This web site has all the dope on it.

This story is huge when the two Bushes are combined. I just sent the info to Keith Olbermann.

This thread keeps getting more interesting

now you don't have to wonder why

You have performed a splendid service here.

This research ought to be dissemminated far and wide; sent to all Democratic campaign organizations and independent groups, and to all news organizations, and not just once, either, but repeatedly.

This is a telling charge that will have real resonance ith the people, and with veterans particularly, in the current climate.

"LET'S GO GET THOSE BUSH BASTARDS!"

Take the URL for this thread far and wide.

Post it on veterans' boards, send it to reporters, put it on blogs.

There's a family tradition of lying about military medals, apparently.

This was a requirement before he could be commissioned. This form lists the SAEMR, which he is obviously wearing when his father pinned him with lieutenent bars. Here is line 24 from that document:



You can find the full NGB22 on page 11 of this PDF:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/bushdocs/11-2_2004_Personn...

When I first saw this document, I thought it was yet another copy of his ANG22, but was mistaken. I discovered this while going over every last document for a second or third time.

From the same document that contained his NGB22:



Page 12 from here:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/bushdocs/11-2_2004_Personn...

I KNEW I saw this picture in one of the document packets!!!!!

What are you seeing in this pic?

Explain.

"Bush, George W., 2LT"

On his AF11 dated May 16, 1971, Bush is listed as a First Lieutenent. That document also only lists his awards as the SAEMR. The AFOUA is NOT listed.

This means, without a doubt, that this photograph had to be taken after September 4, 1968 and before November 7, 1970.

This is damning.

terminology, here's a helpful chart:

http://www.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/personal/faculty/pocock/ra...
(USA military ranks)

Hi to DU, from a longtime lurker from Switzerland and my first post here in!

Great job that you have done, we all over here are looking forward to 2. November and we all hope that day will be the beginning of the end for GWB. Europe is on your side, 100 percent. Ok, without Tony Blush, but who cares about him...

Sent your findings to about 30 newspapers yesterday, mostly international. Feedback was mostly upbeat and I hope some of them jump on the story.

Please don't send further mails to the following adresses:

headlines@marketwatch.com
corporate.affairs@telegraph.co.uk
rklose@illinoistimes.com
headlines@wn.com
arktimes@arktimes.com
aneill@armytimes.com
salami@tehrantimes.com
caitimes@cairotimes.com
mcooke@suntimes.com
feedback@hindustantimes.com
opinion@japantimes.co.jp
foreign.news@thetimes.co.uk
dcburo@latimes.com
editor@atimes.com
home@guardian.co.uk
foreign@guardian.co.uk

They all sent me already mails about "we are working on this issue", etc, etc...

All the best to you, DU is a realy nice and interesting board. Much better than these dumb mess over at FR where I used to act as a provocator. Maybe they don't banned me upon now becaus I'm from Switzerland. Who knows. But they will be very surprised when i will let down my cammo. After 2. November.

St

(and sorry if there some gramma-mistakes, ok?)

Walt's work is even BETTER when you consider that Bush's grandfather lied about his military medals in WW1, and was fully humiliated for it.

Good work!

Let's roll!

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...in fact, I suggest that post be deleted.

We don't want to give the freepers the contact info.

but I hope you saw it before

It was a nice idea to post the info that a story is being developed by a publication, but not good to have the contact info up.

I've established the Bush as a second lieutenant in the photo. If we assume Bush is legitimately wearing his wings, then the photograph must have been taken somewhere between November 5, 1969 (date he finished the Undergraduate Pilot Training course) and November 7, 1970 (The date of his promotion to First Lieutenant).

AND a bag o'chips!

I read the applicable regulations you posted, and must admit I am now confused.

I was in the Regular Air Force at about the same time (initially at the beginning of 1971). The unit I was assigned to had previously been awarded both the Presidential Unit Award, with Oak Leaf Cluster for subsequent award, and the Outstanding Unit Award, also with Oak Leaf Cluster. Both awards had been given to the unit prior to my arrival, but I was instructed to purchase both ribbons with bronze oak leafs for both, to put them on my dress Blue uniform and wear them for so long as I was assigned to the wing/squadron. Of course, neither award shows up on my DD-214, which is as it should be since I was not in the unit when it received the awards.

The point that I am confused over is that the regulation you posted says that the Outstanding Unit Award is not to be worn temporarily. Could it be possible that the regulation was changed subsequent to 1974?

(Can't believe that I am putting forth a point which supports Bush - especially since I was taking flight physicals at the same time he was blowing them off - I just want to bring forward the point in the quest for accuracy, so that it can considered )

Dig in and help us prove or disprove the allegation that Bush lied about his medals!

of Air Force General Order 1 on January 6, 1954.

The list and criteria for awards is only changed to correct clerical erros (spelling etc.) or to add an award.

awards regs are changed for all types of reasons, not just to add or subtract awards, order of precedence can change, authorization of wear can and does change too.

EVEN if you are right that today the reg doesnt authorize follow on members of a unit to wear the ribbon, and i am still not convinced you are right, you have no evidence that was the case over 30 years ago!

I tell you what, you better be darn sure it was or this is going to backfire big time.

If it was, then you are right, although I doubt people are going to be very upset that he might have worn a unit citation when he wasnt supposed to, doesnt exactly breech the line.

It would be one thing if he had worn an individual award he wasnt supposed to...but could as easily be a case of the below:

"Greg When I retired in 1965, the proceedure at that time was to the effect that if I was in a unit at the time of the award, I could wear the award permanently....If I was later assigned to a unit that had received the award, I could, and, WAS ORDERED to wear the award as long as I was assigned to the unit....but on reassignment, I no longer was allowed to wear the award. If I was then assigned to another unit with the award, I, again was ordered to wear the award...again, as long as I was assigned to the unit.
I was told that the award was part of my uniform, and if I did not wear the award,where authorized,I was out of uniform.

I accessed the quoted regualation, however, I was not able to access beyond the listing.

I will have to contact the Military Flight at Grissom Air Base at Peru, Indiana.

Thank you for your answer.

Jim M/Sgt USAF (Retired)"

This was from an air force forum that asked this very question, the forum guy brought up the same reg but it was pretty clear no one knew what was going on back in the day. You are on pretty shaky ground here IMO.

That's the award at issue here.

you made a blanket statement that the only reason the reg would have changed was because awards are added, and I am telling you regs change to alter who is entitled to an award as well.

You have several posters now saying they remember wearing a unit award and being told they had to wear a unit award back then, so that tells me that at some point people were either confused about the regulation even in the units back then, or the regulation was changed sometime after to change the entitlement.

I used the term "Generally".

Big difference.

I am definitely open to seeing older regs. I've been unable to locate them online.

Please, give a link.

Intelligent challenges keep us digging. And prevent us from looking like idiots when we go public, btw.

I say "we" just because I'm a DU'er. I KNOW who's really doing the work. (Not wishing to wear a medal I didn't earn, as it were.)

Thanks for the welcome.

I am looking for copies of the applicable Air Force Regulations of the time, so far not too much luck, since all I am seeing are the Army Regs.

On a side note I see on a personal web page that in an article attributed to Paul Burka that:

'The 147th earned its first Air Force Outstanding Unit Award in 1966 when it was proclaimed, "The most combat ready of all Air Guard units."'

Another web page says that the 147th earned their third in 1982, so that would seem to leave the date of the second awarding as a point of interest.

anecdotally, they had a third award in 1982 and a first in 1966.

Still don't know if either apply to the 111th or to George W. Bush.

For this to apply, the award must be within the timeframe of the completion of his Undergraduate Pilot Triaining and his promotion to First Lieutenant. That's about 1 year. He would have been detached from the 111th FIS to go to UPT.

Keep it up, Walt!

I am shocked, shocked that he would stoop this low for a photo op.

From my experience, those pretty much by default go to everyone in the unit--no matter what-- if the unit is cited.

And if some in the unit were awarded the AFOUA before Bush was there. He may of been confuse and thought he was suppose to wear it also. Young inexperience airman do this all the time.

I'm a 20 year USAF veteran.

standard.

If he was mistaken, he can say he was mistaken. It does not alter the fact that he wore a ribbon he was not entitled to wear.

Officers are held to a higher standard and ignorance is not an excuse. If it was an official Air Force photo, he should of known better.

But, everyone makes a mistake now and than.

I have never, never seen an officer with over 5 years of service(especailly a pilot) with only two ribbons. Never. Something is not adding up here.

Also, in the "military biography" he is listed as having been awarded the NDSM. That is reserved for Active Duty troops only during the time periods covered for the award and Guardsmen on temproary active duty for training are not eligible.

You're damn straight something doesn't add up here!

I was in active duty in the early sixties. It wasn't until 1966 that they awarded the NDSM (backdated to 1961). That was my first medal. It wasn't till Vietnam that they began handing them out in buckets.

Seriously, this is only being brought up by me because I discovered it when looking into Bush's awards.

We know the pciture had to be taken some time between November 5, 1969 and November 7, 1970. During that time he was attached to the 111th Fighter Intercept Squadron which is a subsidiary of the 147th Fighter Intercept Group. I can find no documentation that during this time period.

I am open for this to be disproven. All that needs to happen is for a document to be produced showing that either the 111th FIS was awarded the AFOUA some time between 05NOV69 and 07NOV70 or the 147th FIG was awarded the AFOUA some time between 05NOV69 and 07NOV70 with the provision that the 111th FIS is included in the award.

Probably need to check for awards given to units he was assigned to during training. Unit awards are given for performance or action during some period of time and as noted by someone else, it is/was not unusual for awards to be given to everyone who was in a unit for at least a minimal amount of time during the award period.

Generally, in my 20 years of service students in a training unit did not get included in unit awards, but that was not always the case and rules might have been different for USAF/TANG back then. Also wish to second the comment above about newbies, even relatively new officer, not always being up on rules for uniforms and personal awards. Particularly true for direct commission types, as ROTC/OCS types had those rules covered during training.

Final comment: in my branch of service shooting medals/ribbons were good for one year unless requalified three times (think it was three consecutive years but ???). What was the rule in TANG at the time, and when was the qual for that ribbon?

If there is, it certainly hasn't been released by Bush! In fact, every document where this award *SHOULD* have been listed has it conspicuously absent!

Agreed - there should be paperwork specifically authorizing him to wear that medal/ribbon.

However, if one of his his training commands had received the award it would not be surprising to find that he initially thought he was entitled to it. A not entirely uncommon newbie mistake. Would be more questionable if there is a picture from later in his service showing him still wearing the same ribbon. Also really questionable if his offical bio lists that award since you'd expect authorizations for awards would have been checked and confirmed by now.

Some grizzly old Master Sergeant probably told him he had to wear the thing and he believed him.

Sergeant LOVE to pick on second lieutenants!

Do your homework on the unit in question, the 147th. They were awarded this in 1966,that is why the award is worn.
And you can not tell by that picture what rank is on his uniform.

111th FIS.

I am open to any documentation anybody may desire to share, however, the award does not appear on his ANG22, nor any other document he has released.

I was expected to enter all the background information, including any citations or awards received on the commissioned officer's effectiveness report (COER) prior to evaluation each time period which was then signed by my commanding officer. THAT information (I believe) was the ultimate source of documentation for the DD214 entry. Thus, if I neglected one year to complete or update that section (or if there were a clerical error as these records were transcribed onto the DD214), that could be an explanation. The more important issue to me is the possible absence of his being awarded the 5 year citation.

All I am saying is tread carefully. Sometimes bureaucratic bungling explains a lot.