National Guard, Then and Now

[Donutboy 0]

There's a deliberate effort right now to confuse the current National Guard with the draft-era version of which George Bush was a member. Looks like Colin Powell understands the difference between the two, or at least did back when he wrote his autobiography:

"I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well-placed... managed to wangle slots in Reserve and National Guard units...Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country." ~ Colin Powell (My American Journey, page 148)

[Tiger Al 0]

Yeah, I don't know how many times lately I've heard someone mention a guard unit in Iraq or Afghanistan and snydly say "Oh yeah, they're JUST a guard unit, they don't EVER get activated, huh?"

Rules are different now. It's like trying to compare college football now to how it was then. A lot is the same, but, a lot is different too.

[DKW 86 7,726]

If you two do not think that guard units were not activated during Vietnam, you are sadly mistaken. Personal friends and family here guys.

This is getting a little on the thin side. The Dems are now just pissing on those are connected with Guard and Reserves. And another dose of reality, if you think that Americans as a whole know the difference between the Guard, now, then, or after 20 years of combat service you are really over estimating the attention span of most Americans. All they hear is You folks saying is Guard=Cowards.

[TxWarEagle 3]

Its only if you Dad was someone, then you are to be disparaged.

If you dad wasn't someone then it's ok.

[Tiger Al 0]

"I am angry that so many of the sons of the powerful and well-placed... managed to wangle slots in Reserve and National Guard units...Of the many tragedies of Vietnam, this raw class discrimination strikes me as the most damaging to the ideal that all Americans are created equal and owe equal allegiance to their country." ~ Colin Powell (My American Journey, page 148)

Looks like Colin Powell knows the difference, David. Look at the last twelve words of the quote, David. Strange choice of words to describe something that was, at the time, "the same thing" isn't it, David?

[DKW 86 7,726]

His reply was about certain situation that did occur. But you guys are painting EVERY GUARD MEMBER AS A COWARD. My family and friends were and are not cowards and this $hit is just really getting on my nerves here. Powell was refering to a few instances. Some were assigned Guard out of Boot based solely on luck of the draw and you folks just keep crapping on those.

But you Dems just keep pissing in their faces ok? We will see who has the last laugh.

[Tiger Al 0]

But you guys are painting EVERY GUARD MEMBER AS A COWARD.

No, David. You keep insisting that that's what we do. If that's what we do then you'd expect to hear me say "The only good use the national guard serves is to give cowards a sense of patriotism, because everybody knows that the guard is only for cowards."

His reply was about certain situation that did occur.

As have mine, David. But, for whatever reason, you and Colin are the only ones allowed to say that and have it mean that! When we say it, we're "painting EVERY GUARD MEMBER AS A COWARD!"

[DKW 86 7,726]

Wonder how you feel about Sons that didnt even get into the Guard, ala Clinton and Dean?

[Tiger Al 0]

Wonder how you feel about Sons that didnt even get into the Guard, ala Clinton and Dean?

Well, Clinton and Dean got deferments a la Dick Cheney, John Ashcroft and Karl Rove. Tom Delay once complained that there were too many minorities in the military that there was no room left for true patriots like himself, so, he couldn't go.

That's basically how I feel about them.