(May 23, 2013 at 9:36 am)A Theist Wrote: A lot of men were in the Guard at that time...It's still not proof that Bush or anyone else sought refuge in the NG or ANG to avoid the draft...there were 23,000 NG and ANG called up for a year of active duty between 1968 and 1974, the time frame that Bush joined the ANG...8,700 Guardsmen and Air National Guardsmen were deployed to Viet Nam at that time, so it's not likely that Bush joined the ANG to avoid going to Viet Nam...You are neglecting the fact that between 1961 and 1974 roughly 2.8 million men and women served in Vietnam. To keep proper perspective, between 1966 and 1967 American troop levels in Vietnam rose from 190,000 to 535,000. Meaning, the majority of those 2.8 million who served did so from 1966 until troop levels began dropping rapidly in 1970. In comparison, the 23,000 National Guardsmen serving in Vietnam between 1968 and 1974 is a rather small amount, no? Also, if you actually read the source you posted and bolded, it reads that 23,000 National Guardsmen were called up for active duty, and 8,700 were sent to Vietnam. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and using the higher figure, when it could very well be only 8,700 were deployed to Vietnam, and the remaining amount were active here in the US at that time. I'd like to see the link for that source to clear this up, please.
Bottom line: The National Guard was a safe haven for those wanting to avoid service in Vietnam. There were so many men trying to get into the National Guard, that there were waiting lists to be accepted. This is a recognized historic fact, commonly accepted and asserted by historians, if not by you. You don't have to accept it, but it doesn't change the factual reality and makes you look like an ostrich burying his head in the sand to avoid reality.
Furthermore, I don't think it a stretch to assume the National Guard sent their best and brightest to serve in Vietnam (considering they sent a relatively small amount of personnel), which George W. Bush certainly wasn't part of, as he scored rather poorly on his flight exam.
Bush dodged the draft. I have no problem with the fact that he dodged it, lots of men did. I do have a problem with you not accepting reality and basing arguments on fictions you're pulling out of your ass.
