Text 2223, 90 rader
Skriven 2004-09-13 22:41:40 av John Hull (1:379/1.99)
Ärende: Bush Entitled to wear ribbon
====================================
In yet another attempt to attack President Bush, claims that he illegally wore
a unit commendation ribbon have been shot down.


Internet claim on Bush award disputed
By Gene J. Koprowski
United Press International

Published 9/13/2004 3:33 PM

CHICAGO, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- The Air Force has knocked down allegations by a Web
site that said President Bush, when serving as an officer in the Texas Air
National Guard, wore a ribbon he was not authorized to wear -- a military
offense that could have led to a bad-conduct discharge from the service if
true.

The original story was offered to United Press International during late August
by operatives from Democrats.com, an Internet activist group whose founder had
earlier this year served as a source for The Boston Globe and other media
outlets on stories about Bush's service in the guard in the 1960s and 1970s.

A summary of the story was also posted on the DemocraticUnderground.com Web
site by Walt Starr of Democrats.com last month, along with a photo from the
George H.W. Bush Presidential Library of Lt. George W. Bush wearing the Air
Force Outstanding Unit Award.

An e-mail message to UPI on Aug. 27 from Bob Fertik, founder of Democrats.com,
stated, "Walt Starr called the Air Force and discovered that the only AFOUA
given to Bush's unit was in 1975 -- five years after the photo. Case closed!"

The Air Force and the White House last week in interviews with UPI said the
allegations were misleading. White House spokesman Trent Duffy referred UPI to
the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Colorado where Technical Sgt. Rob Mims is
the spokesman.

Mims said the claims were "not true. I verified that (Thursday). Lieutenant
Bush received Air Force Outstanding Unit Award while he was in basic training
with the 3724th Basic Military Training Squadron at Lackland Air Force Base,
Texas."

Starr sent UPI a copy of a file of his research, including correspondence he
had with the Air Force seeking to obtain the service records of Bush.

"This means, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that George W. Bush was photographed
wearing a ribbon he clearly did not earn," wrote Starr. He said awards earned
by the unit were given before Bush joined the unit.

Mims said that personnel records in the military are often incomplete due to
"clerical errors."

"But I did verify that that unit did get the award while he (Bush) was there,"
said Mims.

The sergeant added that the photo in question was "taken after pilot training."

Mims said he confirmed his information about the medal with the Air Force's
history office. "It's all there in black and white, we've spelled it out," said
Mims.

The White House, through Duffy, said: "Lieutenant Bush at the time was
completely authorized to wear those ribbons he has in those pictures. He could
only wear those ribbons if he has the wings. He earned his wings in 1969."

When contacted by UPI Monday about the Air Force's statements, Fertik refused
to comment.

The news of the Air Force and White House disproving the allegations about the
Bush medal came Friday, as CBS News and other news organizations were reeling
from the disclosure that they had published or aired possibly forged documents
about Bush's military service record.

The source of the CBS story has not been disclosed, but CBS is conducting an
internal investigation into the controversy.

--

(Please send comments to nationaldesk@upi.com.) 

Copyright © 2001-2004 United Press International
  



John 

America:  First, Last, and Always!
Go to www.madgorilla.us for all your Domain Name Services at the lowest rates.

--- Msged/386 TE 05
 * Origin: We are the Watchmen of our own Liberty! (1:379/1.99)