Rebuttal on Bush and His Ribbons

[volosong]

I received this e-mail that is evidently circulating throughout cyberspace. I don't know if it has any validity:


There are two unrelated issues in this widely circulated posting.

1. Lt Bush is wearing unauthorized Air Force ribbons. This is more than likely false.

There is high likelihood that Bush was entitled to wear both of these Air Force ribbons. He probably earned the Small Arms Marksmanship ribbon while at Undergraduate Pilot Training at Moody AFB, GA. He would have been entitled to wear the Outstanding Unit Award ribbon if the unit to which he was assigned had received the award at any time in the past. He would be permanently entitled to wear the AFOUA if he had been assigned to that unit at the time it received the award. All members of a unit which has received a unit award wear the unit award ribbon while assigned to the unit. If they are not individually entitled to the ribbon, then they must remove the unit award ribbon when reassigned to a unit which has not received the award.

2. Lt Bush did not receive the Texas Faithful Service Medal for five years of honorable service. This may be true, but is probably irrelevant. From the cited webpage, it is impossible to determine if this medal is the Texas Military Forces equivalent of the Good Conduct Medal. If it is, then it would only be awarded to enlisted personnel. Lt Bush was direct commissioned as an officer in the Texas Air National Guard. (I have written HQ TXANG to confirm this and will advise if I find out differently)

3. Lt Bush did not receive the Texas State Guard Service Medal, for three years of honorable service in the Texas State Guard. This is false because

Lt Bush served in the Texas Air National Guard; he did not serve in the Texas State Guard

The Texas State Guard is not the Texas Air National Guard .. it is as stated below, the unpaid volunteer branch of the Military Forces of the State of Texas .. at the end of WW-II, there were 10,000 members of the Texas State Guard guarding the seaports and other areas of Texas while the National Guard went to war. Similarly, the Texas State Guard today serves while the National Guard is at war.

http://www.agd.state.tx.us/stateguard/default.asp?ldpage=about

The Texas State Guard (TXSG) is the second branch of the Military Forces of the State of Texas, operating alongside the Texas National Guard, which is comprised of the Texas Army National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard. The TXSG provides mission-ready volunteer military forces, to assist state and local authorities in homeland security and community service. Click here to learn more about us.

How is the Texas State Guard organized?
Composed of a headquarters group, support detachments, an air support wing and six military police brigades, the size and structure of the TXSG is determined and directed by the Governor of the State of Texas, through the Adjutant General. TXSG companies and detachments are collocated with Army National Guard and Air National Guard units throughout the State.

Who makes up the Texas State Guard?
Texas State Guard soldiers are volunteers between the ages of 17 and 60, and train a minimum of one weekend each month. All serve without pay except if called upon for State Active Duty by the Governor. TXSG soldiers come from all backgrounds and walks of life, many with prior military service. You can become part of this proud tradition. Click here to find out how!

[TrueAmerican]

1. I'm in the Air Force and let me rebut the first one first

I have little time right now for the others.

1. He would have been entitled to wear the Outstanding Unit Award ribbon if the unit to which he was assigned had received the award at any time in the past


No, this is absolutely not true. In the Air Force only personnel that served during the time period it was awarded for are allowed to wear the AFOUA. We are not the army.


Thank you.

[ima_sinnic]

2. his unit received a unit award AFTER he left

Walt Starr's original research addressed this specific issue in depth

see this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x675299

[Terran]

3. That didn't make any sense to me

If the unit received such an award 50 years ago, that entitles current members to wear that medal? Absurd.

[Spazito]

4. I love how it is filled with "probably" and "likely"....

and then to claim it is a rebuttal against facts and documents. It is positively laughable!

Walt's investigation and thread contains documents and photos, this contains nothing but anecdotal maybes.

Given the fast and furious attempts to discredit Walt's awesome work, one might come to the conclusion that the right-wing is VERY concerned that the truth will come out!