Who Served in the Military and Who Did Not

I just found this site listing the military service (or nonservice) of members of congress and other high offices. It's fascinating and very informative. Check it out.

Prominent Democrats
Representative Richard Gephardt, former House Minority Leader - Missouri Air National Guard, 1965-71. (1, 2)
Representative David Bonior - Staff Sgt., United States Air Force 1968-72 (1, 2)
Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle - 1st Lt., U.S. Air Force SAC 1969-72 (1, 2)
Former Vice President Al Gore - enlisted August 1969; sent to Vietnam January 1971 as an army journalist, assigned to the 20th Engineer Brigade headquartered at Bien Hoa, an airbase twenty miles northeast of Saigon. More facts about Gore's Service


Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert - avoided the draft, did not serve.
Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey - avoided the draft, did not serve.
House Majority Leader Tom Delay - avoided the draft, did not serve (1). "So many minority youths had volunteered ... that there was literally no room for patriotic folks like himself."
House Majority Whip Roy Blunt - did not serve
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist - did not serve. (An impressive medical resume, but not such a friend to cats in Boston.)
Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-KY - did not serve (1)

Here's a link to the www.awolbush.com...

[Edited on 19-09-2003 by EastCoastKid]

DId you find anything on Dean, btw, in your selective searching ECK?


regards
seekerof

My GOD! The first THREE he put up did the COWARD play by going National Guard (just like they continue to bitch about Shrub doing) during VietNam!

ESK, are you hitting the bong tonight or WHAT?!!!!!


m...

Originally posted by Seekerof
DId you find anything on Dean, btw, in your selective searching ECK?

regards
seekerof

I did some searching and No Dean did not serve. This is what I found straight from his website:

"Governor Dean is a physician who previously shared a medical practice with his wife. He received his B.A. from Yale University in 1971 and his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City in 1978. He served in the Vermont House from 1982 to 1986, was elected lieutenant governor in 1986, and became governor in 1991 with the death of then-Governor Richard Snelling"

Hmmmm, lots of people complain about Skulls and Bones and secret societies on this site, yet Dean went to Yale.....Hmmm...Conspiracy?Ithink not!!

Originally posted by Dreamz
Hmmmm, lots of people complain about Skulls and Bones and secret societies on this site, yet Dean went to Yale.....Hmmm...Conspiracy?Ithink not!!

Not everybody who went to Yale belonged to the skull and bones club.

Thanx Ocelot for the information.

I found these awhile back:
Link:
www.suntimes.com...

www.newsmax.com...

www.foxnews.com...


In all fairness of 'source issues', I do contend that the information can be readily found on a variety of news media sources, excluding the three that I have given.


regards
seekerof

What's the big deal folks? It's a list. As far as I know, according to every other source I've seen on the subject, it's factual. I had no partisan axe to grinde, here. I was just sharing something I thought was interesting.



I guess the salient point is - and I'm not speaking to anyone on this thread specifically - in general - if you point out that someone who voted to send troops into combat, never served a day of their life, their supporters get all bent out of shape.

What I find most interesting, personally, is that a good number of Democrats - who are generally seen and portrayed in the media as weak on defense - actually served heroically. Like Max Cleland. He was branded a traitor by conservatives in his last election. It's probably the very reason he lost.

Anyway, as the election year nears, it's good to consider these things. If you don't agree with the list, then just cross-check. The information will be on each one's own website.

If my information is bad, then I have no problem saying I was wrong.

You're just pointing it out...not making any insinuations...all those that served just happened to be Dems...and the color commentary was added to make it a better read. And you just happened come across a site called awol Bush dot com.


I like this one:

VP Cheney - several deferments (1, 2), the last by marriage (in his own words, "had other priorities than military service") (1)


as for Dean...

"I was not anxious to serve in Vietnam," said Dean, whose brother, Charles, died under mysterious circumstances in Laos during the Vietnam War. "I was opposed to the war and I was glad I was classified that way, but it was obviously not my decision."

After graduation, Dean spent some time in Colorado, where he skied despite his back condition. "I do as much as I can do," Dean said. "It was the Army's decision not to take me, not my decision."

Saphronia,
Accusing me of having some kind of partisan motive with regard to posting this is just silly. And very partisan in itself. Many of you would be surprised to know that had I been here posting prior to 9-11, most of the Democrats would've HATED me.

I can't help it if people can't handle the fact that their heroes might've avoided service, might've been spoiled rich brats or just plain cowardly. But if you're going to research candidates' backgrounds, this information is useful. Putting that information out there was for the benefit of those interested in knowing. Uh, I would say coming up on an election, this info. might be helpful. Close your eyes to it and be uninformed if you want. As for me, I'd rather know.

I wasn't accusing you of anything...I just didn't think an explanation was necessary. This is the pit after all...

I was just sharing something I thought was interesting.

Sounds kinda fake specially when you consider the name of the site. And I'm not a hooping, hollering fan of Dubya either. I just gotta little chuckle out of ya post is all. Everyone is partisan in one way or the other. That site is definately partisan whether that was your intention or not.

Accusing me of having some kind of partisan motive with regard to posting this is just silly. And very partisan in itself.

You denying it, is even sillier.

Ddin't know you had to be in the military to be prez. I guess Bush 2 didn't know either.

definatly. There is no training that one goes through that teaches you to be commander in chief or senator. That is why we have generals who advise.

Boy oh boy. Sure is funny to see how folks get their panties in a wad when you point out something as simple as who served and who did not.

When the truth stings, folks immediately start shooting arrows. Too bad there ain't no burn here.

The thing that strikes me the most is how so many Republicans (who have never served a day in their life) try and burn folks for being unpatriotic anti-war whimps, when in fact, many of those accused served admirably.

Rumsfeld served one enlistment. Powell is a retired general, as we all know. And Bush got a coveted spot in the Texas Air National Guard learning to fly obsolete aircraft. Other than that, the rest of those ridiculously stupid chickenhawk war mongers have never served a day of their lives and don't know what the frock their talking about. It's pathetic. I can't believe so many people listen to anything they say. Look at Iraq. It's a NEO CON devised clusterfrock. That's where their "knowledge" and "judgement" will get you. Straight into an endless meatgrinder.

From the article "Dean Tries to Summon Spirit of the 1960s" December 28, 2003

After entering Yale University in 1967, he was a popular but unremarkable student who took no role in campus protests against the war, or in a local issue, the trials of members of the Black Panther party in New Haven in early 1970, friends have said. After avoiding military service with a student deferment, he was eligible to serve by 1971, but presented evidence of a bad back and was rejected. He subsequently spent nine months in Aspen, Colo., skiing and working odd jobs, such as washing dishes and pouring concrete. He then became a stockbroker, following his father, a prominent figure on Wall Street, before entering medical school.

Bad back, but was able to snow ski, wash dishes (very "back-breaking"), and pour concrete?? WTF? He's a bigger a$$clown than most people realize.

Why single out Dean for not serving?

Dick Cheney didn't serve
Paul Wolfowitz never served
Douglas Feith never served
the list of chickenhawks is endless...

I think it's great if a president served in the military. His experience should greatly inform his decision-making with regard to troops and strategery, as the Shrub would say. But if one never served, like Dean, I won't hold it against him.

Look at Nixon, he served in the Navy (Pacific Theater, WW2) . A lot of good that did him.