What is the reason that USA has a Coast Guard? Bush joined them, yet is called a draft dodger, why?

Question

In May 1968, at the height of the ongoing Vietnam War, Bush was accepted into the Texas Air National Guard despite.

Mr. Bush didn't run away, did he? He served his country. Aren't the Coast Guard supposed to protect National borders, and Home Security? He did that. It is Clinton who ran away to Russia, and even protested against the Vietnam war that a Liberal, like himself, Lyndon B. Johnson started.
So, is this not more proof that Liberals won't accept the truth, just because they don't like a Conservative/Republican?
Do Liberal think our borders, and surrounding seas don't need to be protected, but left open for the enemy to attack us?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush#Childhood_to_mid-life

I apoligize for typing it wrong, but the point is the same. All the evidence is in the link, and the evidence that he served his country. Libs get a clue.

Answer 1

Anyone who served in the Air Guard in the 1960's served honorably as did Bush. His unit was part of the old Air Defense Command. Their mission was Soviet air intercept. Soviets routinely tested and tried to penetrate our air space during the cold war. Liberal nitwits don't understand that when you enlist...you write the government and the military a blank check to assign you anywhere they want at any time. Guard service is honorable.

edit: the poster uz below knows squat...some of the Coast Guard served in Nam patrolling the coast and rivers. They take their lives in their own hands daily rescuing nitwits like her when they go off shore and get in over their head.

Answer 2

First - you use Wikpedia as a source? Please.

Second - as others have stated, the ANG and Coast Guard are two completely separate organizations. Let's get at least THOSE facts straight.

We will never really know about "George the leaser's" service in the TANG since many of the records are missing.

As someone else stated, Viet Nam started LONG before Johnson. Clinton DID NOT go to Russia, he was in England. Now, lest you cast stones at him, also be aware that many in the Executive branch of the government and many in the legislative branch didn't serve either. So, please check that too.

Please move beyond liberal/conservative, democrat/republican and the ilk - it adds nothing to an intelligent dialog, and prevents one from having one.

Johnson was a lot of things, a liberal was NOT one of them. Again, like someone stated - read your history - preferably NOT in Wikpedia. Try the library or your nearest book store.

If I had to label myself, it would be fiscal "conservative," social "liberal." I have served 24+ years in the United States Coast Guard (and by the way - I do not believe George would have made it in the Coast Guard). During the Viet Nam war, the Coast Guard was present - they helped run the river boats that the Navy had. I did volunteer to go, so I know that the service was present.

The Coast Guard is the oldest of the sea-going services in the United States - older than the U.S. Navy. During wartime, the Coast Guard falls under the Navy. The rest of the time they are part of the DHS.

I could go on - but what is the point? If you want to know more, google the United States Coast Guard, or again, check your library or book store.

My personal opinion of President Clinton is that he was better than what we have now. Was he perfect? Heck no. Honest? No. Is Bush? No. But Clinton did not get us into a needless, seemingly endless, expensive (both in human toll and monetarily) action (this is NOT a war - as only Congress can declare a war).

Anyway, good luck on your reading.

Answer 3

Okay, here's the reason. I am a Vietnam vet and this is the situation as it existed during the Vietnam war. You are not going to like this.
Unlike the current conflict in the middle east, the National Guard was never called up for active duty during Vietnam. The Coast Guard was, oddly enough. Coast Guard units patrolled the Delta region and most other water routes in Nam.
The National Guard, however, never left the USA. It was totally impossible for a common kid to join the National Guard because it deferred them from the draft. The only way to get into the National Guard was by appointment from your senator. This usually required a generous donation to the senator's campaign fund. In my state, it required a $10,000 donation. That much money bought a house in the late 60s.
In short, the National Guard became the way that rich kids avoided the draft. A poor kid had to go to Canada to avoid the draft.
That is why the people who served in the National Guard were considered legal draft dodgers by those of us who served.

Answer 4

President Bush served honorablly and was given a Honorable Discharge for his Military service. Clinton dodged the draft by going to England in defiance of orders for him to report to his draft board and proceeded to bad mouth the USA about the Vietnam War, from England, while American troops were over there fighting. He stated several times that he loathed the US Armed Forces and that is why the military went downhill while he was president and that is why President Bush has to spend all of this money to bring the US Armed Forces back up to speed in order to fight The Global War On Terror!!!

Answer 5

"The United States Coast Guard is a military, multimission, maritime service within the Department of Homeland Security and one of the nation's five armed services. Its core roles are to protect the public, the environment, and U.S. economic and security interests in any maritime region in which those interests may be at risk, including international waters and America's coasts, ports, and inland waterways."

http://www.uscg.mil/top/missions/

Bush joined the ANG, with the help of his Dad's political influence, so he wouldn't have to go to Vietnam. While in the ANG, he took a lot of time off (a precursor to his more recent job), something which one without a lot of political pull (again from his Dad), that the rest of us wouldn't get away with.

Yes, he did serve his country, in a very cushy way (as opposed to most others, libs and cons alike, who served in Vietnam).

Yes, the CG does protect the borders (see above).

LBJ did not start the Vietnam war. Our involvement there goes back to WW2 (read your history); and was expanded under Eisenhower, then JFK, then LBJ. There's enough blame to spread around there...

No, it isn't more proof. Just an opinion.

No, liberals don't think that. Libs also think our borders need to be protected. The argument is how to do so smartly, rather than waste $$$ building a fence that will not stop anyone who really wants to come in around it (i.e. the Maginot Line).

Answer 6

The Air National Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard are two completely different branches of military service. George W. Bush was allowed to serve in the Air National Guard, a reserve division of the U.S. Air Force as means of satisfying the militray obligation that all American males faced at that time. It would be unfair to call him a draft dodger, as he did voluntarily serve.
The Coast Guard protects the seacoasts. It is under the Treasury Deparment as the main job of the Coast Guard is to prevent smuggling of goods and people into the U.S. by way of our sea coasts.

Answer 7

The Air National Guard and the Coast Guard are different branches of the miltary. He didn't serve in the Coast Guard. I'm a conservative and Bush is a screw up, that can't be defended. Instead of asking what he has done wrong, reverse the question and ask what has he done right. I voted for him because I couldn't vote for a demorat.

Answer 8

I would like to add my testimony to what Perplexed Bob told you.
I too joined the army in the late 60s prepared to do whatever my country asked of me. I ended up stationed in Germany for 2.5 years and never faced the perils of Vietnam. I thought I had lucked out with that assignment.
I found out years later that my father, who was a truck driver and not rich by any stretch, had "donated" $2500 to the campaign fund of the senator from my state to get me that post. At the time, $2500 could have bought a new Cadillac. It was a great sacrifice for my parents.
Many loving parents, however, couldn't "donate" to keep their sons out of harm's way, which is why there was such a high ratio of poor minority kids in Vietnam.
Unlike GWB, I had no idea that political influence kept me from going to Vietnam. GWB knew full well that the National Guard was the rich kids draft dodger's paradise.
Those of us who served in the regular armed forces have no respect for any National Guard service during the war. GWB was a legal draft dodger, as Perplexed Bob stated.

Answer 9

Um, excuse me but Bush was in the National Guard not the Coast Guard.

I like your posts but there is a difference between the two. Everything else you've said is bang on the money.

Answer 10

the coast guard was a way to run away from serving in the military. People did it then, people still do it now. Difference is, because of the iraq mess, the coast guards are now needed in iraq too. Our borders are sacred, blah blah blah but if you want to avoid going to war, you became a coast guard. Someone who actually was in the military would have known better than to invade a country without any real insight into the situation in that country and without concrete plans of action