Bush AWOL Story - New theory comes to light

"Robey Price" wrote in message
...

Kevin Brooks wrote:

[snip] His own unit had just become an operational
conversion/training unit (first for the F-102, then for both the F-102
and
F-101, and then for the F-101 exclusively for a number of years), and
given
the number of higher-hour pilots then leaving the active component, one
can
understand why they were not chomping at the bit to retain the flying
services of then 1LT Bush.

Mr Brooks is making a gross error in suggesting that any ANG unit
would bypass one of its "favorite sons" and bring on some unknown
entity, Elmo Bowlogrits leaving active duty.

Mr. Brooks did not say that. What he/I said was that the unit would not
really *care* if he remained with them or not, as they had the pick of the
litter to get more experienced pilots during that timeframe. Mr. Brooks has
also served in the Guard, and knows full well that the focus on retention is
completely dependent upon unit strength and availability of qualified fills;
when the strength is low, and fills are hard to come by, Guardsmen have to
about be legally dead before their units will release them before their
complete term of service is expired--transfers to other units are even then
hard to get. OTOH, as was the case during this period, when strength is good
and fills are readily available (especially junior officer fills who have
*more* flight experience, and likely combat experience to boot), the
attitude is much more laissez faire. Seen it under both circumstances. Then,
compounding the situation, you have a junior LT who is checked out in a
dying airplane (the Deuce was on its way to the boneyard), in a unit that is
transitioning to a training role. You do the math.

The ANG doesn't work that
way, once you're in...you're IN, no swinging dick active duty guy is
taking your slot, unless you **** up and give them a reason to boot
your ass out.

Or unless you'd just as soon *be* out, given the unit's good strength and
availability of fills.


Yeh the boys at Ellington were making a mission change from Air
Defense to RTU...but the minimum number of hours to qualify for an IP
slot were recommendations in some Commands (ANG) and hard and fast in
others. Hell if he could use political influence to jump ahead of guys
on the waiting list to get in the unit, he could have stayed...he
wasn't forced out by some active duty pogue.

Nobody is saying he wanted to stay in. But not wanting to remain in,
fulfilling your obligated service and being released with an Honorable
Discharge is a far cry from constituting dishonorable service.

Brooks

snip further whining