Commentary on Mr. Bush

Mr. Bush,  

I am asking you to return your Honorable Discharge and your NDSM. 
It is not just about the drugs, it is not just about going AWOL, and it is about everything. 

It is about something you do not have now and never really had looking backwards.  It is about something call integrity. 

When a person accepts that first gold bar, regardless of whether it is US Air Force/Aux, US Coast Guard/Aux, National Guard, Reserve Components, or active service, that gold bar represents a code of honor. 

We had to be faithful to truth, duty, and leadership.  Regardless of the consequences, we were demanded to tell the truth.  You have not been able to do that – whether through design or pathology. 

We were/are paid to take the higher risks so that our subordinates would follow and a mission could be accomplished.  You, so far, have hidden from that. 

We were/are suppose to be the example that our subordinates could look up to. Your example so far is critically flawed.  

You used your father’s influence to side step something millions had forced on them.  The first part of integrity – to accept what your country asks of you, not skirt around the issues, and step forward speaking very clearly: “Follow Me”. You got to stay home during Viet Nam and party. 

As president, you asked that young men and women to do something you could not do.  The second part of integrity is never asking someone to do something you cannot and will not do.  You have asked young men and women to go to Iraq and die.  You got to stay home during Viet Nam and party. 

You have besmirched John Kerry.  Kerry has medals for heroism while under hostile fire.  The third part of integrity is something called respect.  Kerry was there in the jungles. You got to stay home during Viet Nam and party. When you besmirched John Kerry, you besmirched us all.  

You violated your contract with the military.  You violated your word.  You violated the Code of Honor.   

The NDSM and the Honorable Discharge you got do not rightfully belong to you.   

Michael Berglin