Who served in the military?

This page is an adaptation from another website. I'm a vet myself as are three brothers, two decorated in Vietnam. We can argue over Democrats versus Republicans in uniform all day but one truth must be noted: the military reflects society in general, not the political elite.

The enlisted come from poor and working class backgrounds, which take most of the casualties while the officer corp. is upper class. One recent news report claimed 40% of those presently in uniform come from a line of states from Texas to Florida. Many enter the military for economic opportunity that is growing scarce in America today.

While our brave troops are dying of heat stroke and getting shot in the back in Iraq, mainly to protect global capitalism and big oil, the same wealthy people that sent them there not only rarely serve themselves, but ship jobs that might have went to these very same vets into third-world sweat-shops.

George Bush and Bill Clinton alike still dodged Vietnam; Bush like thousands of connected rich kids from both parties was hiding out in the Guard. Yet the Bush War on Terrorism is a joke because he protects his terrorist oil pals in Saudi Arabia who pay terrorists to kill out troops.

Granted the Republicans are willing to spend more on the military, so what? The rich kids from both parties don't do most of the dying. But Republicans do bring up the issue, so they are being called on it. I make no excuses for Democrats and wouldn't vote for either party.

Prominent Democrats

House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt - Served his country in uniform, 1965-71
House Minority Whip David Bonior - Served his country in uniform, 1968-72
Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle - Served his country in uniform, 1969-72
Former Vice President Al Gore - Served his country in uniform, 1969-71; recipient of Vietnam Service Medal

Bob Kerrey... Democrat... Congressional Medal of Honor, Vietnam
Daniel Inouye... Democrat... Congressional Medal of Honor, World War Two
John Kerry - Democrat...Silver Star & Bronze Star, Vietnam
Charles Rangel...Democrat... Bronze Star, Korea
Max Cleland... Democrat... Silver Star & Bronze Star, Vietnam
Howell Heflin... Democrat... Silver Star

Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA) - U.S. Army, 1951-1953.
Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) - U.S. Navy, 1962-67; Naval Reserve, 1968-74.
Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA) - two tours in Vietnam, two Distinguished Flying Crosses as a helicopter pilot, two Bronze Stars, and the Soldier's Medal.
Ambassador "Pete" Peterson, Air Force Captain, POW, Democratic congressman, Ambassador to Viet Nam, and recipient of the Purple Heart, the Silver Star and the Legion of Merit
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-CA: served in combat with the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant/platoon leader with the 173rd Airborne Brigade; was wounded and received a Purple Heart.

Prominent Republicans

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert - avoided the draft, did not serve.
Majority Leader Dick Armey- avoided the draft, did not serve.
Majority Whip Tom Delay - avoided the draft, did not serve. "So many minority youths had volunteered ... that there was literally no room for patriotic folks like himself."
Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott - avoided the draft, did not serve.

GW Bush - decided that a six-year Nat'l Guard commitment really means four years. Still says that he's "been to war. Huh?
VP Cheney - several deferments, the last by marriage (in his own words, "had other priorities than military service")
Att'y Gen. John Ashcroft - sought deferment to teach business ed at SW Missouri State
Karl Rove - avoided the draft, did not serve, too busy being a Republican.
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich - avoided the draft, did not serve
Former President Ronald Reagan - served in a noncombat role. He later seems to have confused his role as an actor playing a tail gunner with the real thing.
"B-1" Bob Dornan - avoided Korean War combat duty by enrolling in college acting classes.
Phil Gramm - avoided the draft, did not serve, four (?) student deferments

Senator John McCain - McCain's naval honors include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross. Why did the Bush campaign smear him so?
Former Senator Bob Dole - an honorable man.
Chuck Hagel - two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, Vietnam.
Duke Cunningham - nominated for the Medal of Honor, received the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, fifteen Air Medals, the Purple Heart, and several other decorations.

Here are a few more...

Democrats

Gray Davis, California Governor, served in Vietnam. Note: it has been brought to my attention from a fellow vet about some controversy surrounding a Bronze Star Davis got. If anyone has information on this please forward the information to me.

Article in the Editorial Section of the San Ramon Valley Times on Tuesday, September 3, 2002 submitted by Dick McBurnie of Danville, CA.

"Dubious medal"

In most cases I respect a military man who earns a medal. In the case of Gray Davis the opposite is true. Contrary to the comments of Greg Trybull, Gray Davis was presented with a Bronze Star by an upper echelon member of the military for dubious reasons; he did not earn the medal.

Davis spent a short period of time in Vietnam (less than 7 months - Dec. 9, 1968, to July 3, 1969), a considerable distance from any hostility (Loc Binh) and according to prior reports was more or less guarded and kept away from any areas of hostile action.

Davis manned a typewriter during his tour of duty and any consideration for a medal, under the circumstances described, is suspect... Gray Davis should not even think or running for any public office, especially re-election. We can't afford continued incompetence.
Dick M., Danville, CA

Can not provide info about Davis' service. But tried to find Loc Binh on the internet. Loc Binh is a district in Lang Son province in North Viet Nam. Loc Binh actually borders China and is listed as a gateway to China. This could not be the place. But there is a Binh Loc toward the southern most part of South Vietnam. Please check with your sources and correct on your AWOL page. I too would like to find the truth about Davis. All I could find was "Bronze Star for Meritorious Service"...

That tells me nothing. I received the Army Commendation Medal and its listed as meritorious service and all I did was volunteer to extend in country for six months. EVERYBODY in my unit that extended for six months got the Army Commendation Medal.

If he can be in country less than 8 months and receive a bronze, then he certainly shouldn't be shy about telling us just what great deed he did to warrant this honor. Smells! Would also like to know if he went over as a lieutenant and came back a captain.

In my 19 months over there my unit went thru 3 XO's. Seems like if you wanted a promotion you had to have 6 months overseas or hazardous duty on your record , so they cycled them through like clock work. 6 months rocking chair = one bump up. Chinook mechanic, Dong Ba Tinh, ( just inland from Cam Ranh Bay) June '68 to Feb '70 TT, Escondido, Ca

Chuck Robb, US Senator from Virginia, served in Vietnam

George McGovern, famous liberal, awarded Silver Star, DFC, dozens of missions during WWII.

Republicans/Conservatives

Political

Don Nickles, Senate Minority Whip - Did not serve
JC Watts - did not serve
Jack Kemp, did not serve
Dan Quayle, did not serve
Eliot Abrams, did not serve
Vin Weber, did not serve
Richard Perle, did not serve (is the current bloodshed in the Middle East a direct result of his treasonous meddling in Clinton Administrstion foreign policy?)
Rudy Giuliani, did not serve
John Engler, did not serve

Puditocracy and Preacher-types

George Will, did not serve
Chris Matthews, Mediawhore, did not serve.
Bill O'Reilly, did not serve
Paul Gigot, did not serve.
Bill Bennett, Did not serve
Pat Buchanan, did not serve
Rush Limbaugh, did not serve
John Wayne, did not serve
Pat Robertson - did not serve, apparently used Daddy's connections to get off the ship in Tokyo while his buddies went on to Korea.
Bill Kristol, did not serve
Kenneth Starr, did not serve
Antonin Scalia, did not serve
Clarence Thomas, did not serve

Independents

Gov. Jesse Ventura, served as a Navy Seal

Chickenhawk list, courtesy of the New Hampshire Gazette.

Re military personnel and public perception of Democrats v. Republicans in general.

How often must Democrats defend their party against the typical freeper blather of draft-dodging, service-evading, unpatriotic cowards among us? More often than we have to.

Gore was right all along. About some things. The "truth" IS on our side.

THE CHICKENHAWKS Conservatives make great fun of President Clinton for questioning the Vietnam War, standing up to his beliefs and questioning his own participation in that war as well, i.e., being honest and walking the walk of his own belief system [and then giving up his student deferment to subject himself to the draft!].

On the other hand there were literally millions of dishonest hypocritical, cowardly right-wing loonies who supported the war while refusing to personally participate.