Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
As the war ended, and experienced military types started coming back home in droves, the reserves had way more people than they needed or wanted. They were letting people out left and right, blowing off contractual terms in order to thin their swollen and unneeded ranks. Usually, it wasn't an official "here's your discharge" - it was with a wink and a nod, an "okay, I'll look over there for a minute, and, when I look back, well, if you're not here, it won't bother me." I had two friends out early that way, and, later, when their terms ended, their discharge papers showed up. That's how the clerks handled too many soldiers. Everything I've seen about the Bush saga fits that scenario.
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That's a nice stab, but it doesn't explain any of the facts in Drum's paragraph #2 above, or the statements made today by Killian's secretary. Nor does it explain why Bush lied about it later, stating that he served longer than he did (and that he served in the Air Force, but that's another story).
eta: In all seriousness, I give you credit for acknowledging what so many conservatives haven't been able to -- that Bush blew off his service.
What's odd to me is that Bush defenders are so ready to give him a free pass on this stuff as not reflecting anything important about their character even as they try to explain why the Swift Boat crap should be devastating to the way people see Kerry.
