McCain appears to take swipe at Trump’s ‘bone spur’ Vietnam deferment

[Applewood]

If bone spurs - or various other health issues - are inappropriate grounds for draft deferments, perhaps the rules at the time shouldn't have allowed them. The fact is a lot of guys escaped the draft for a variety of reasons, including hanging around in college for years and years. Others had such a high lottery number, there was no chance they'd be drafted. They could have enlisted, but they didn't.

I don't know whether I have less respect for fellows who legally "dodged" the draft or for those like McCain and Kerry, who used  less-than-honorable military careers as a springboard to a lifetime of suckling at the government teat and stuffing their own pockets.

In any event, McCain probably should deal with the beam in his own eye.

My father told a story about a friend of his who had lost an eye in a childhood accident and wore a fake one.  When this friend was drafted during WWII, he told the sergeant in charge about his fake eye, hoping he would get a deferment.  The sergeant pointed to each of Dad's friend's eyes -- one eye, two eyes, you're in.    I guess back then deferments were really hard to come by.

I have the highest respect for those who served, but fully understand and support those who didn't. 

[Bigun]

I was 360 for the draft but enlisted USAF anyway. Four days in country and Bien Hoa enlisted barracks takes a dozen rockets at 3 AM. A night I’ll never forget. Yep, 360.

@aligncare 

About what was the date of this incident?

I remember being pulled off the top of a sandbag bunker on which I was merrily sleeping away in the middle of such a mortar attack very early one morning  in November of 1966. Beer 33 will do that to you!
]

[corbe]

   I never lost my Patriotism for this Country or forgot the Oath I gave her.  I contacted the USAF to offer my services 40 years later, after 9/11.
   We are all truly blessed to live in the best Country on this Planet.

[mountaineer]

My father told a story about a friend of his who had lost an eye in a childhood accident and wore a fake one.  When this friend was drafted during WWII, he told the sergeant in charge about his fake eye, hoping he would get a deferment.  The sergeant pointed to each of Dad's friend's eyes -- one eye, two eyes, you're in.    I guess back then deferments were really hard to come by.

My father graduated from college at age 19 in Jan. 1944 and knew his next stop would be military service. He enlisted in the Navy, but at 6'2" and 135 pounds he was considered unfit. Somehow, his official height miraculously was transformed to 5'9", and he was off to officers' training school, later to command an LST in the South Pacific.

[DiogenesLamp]

@aligncare 

About what was the date of this incident?

I remember being pulled off the top of a sandbag bunker on which I was merrily sleeping away in the middle of such a mortar attack very early one morning  in November of 1966. Beer 33 will do that to you!
]

I'm beginning to get the impression that I am the young "Whippersnapper"  around here.   :)   

[Emjay]

   The point I was trying to make @Emjay (and will probably lose it again) Is that the Officers had generally accepted that as their career, why else would they go through all that training. The Vietnam Force of the US Military was compromised mostly of Grunts like me, that volunteered. In all honesty, my high draft number and the pending possession and shoplifting charge expedited my decision, but none the less there are those cowards (for lack of tact at this moment cause it is a very sensitive subject to me) that used all available means to them to avoid Service to their Country. 
   I do understand your point, and as a Mother your feelings are hard and true, I could never argue with that, we'll just agree to disagree.



       Sometimes my kisses drip Orange, only for You.

You dog !!  That Orange mouth is just too much.

I don't want to fight the Viet Nam war over again with you or anybody.

McCain is an idiot.

Thank you for your service.

[Emjay]

   I never lost my Patriotism for this Country or forgot the Oath I gave her.  I contacted the USAF to offer my services 40 years later, after 9/11.
   We are all truly blessed to live in the best Country on this Planet.

You are a true hero.

Amen to the blessed in this country comment.

[Bigun]

I'm beginning to get the impression that I am the young "Whippersnapper"  around here.   :)

Probably so!

 

[corbe]

You are a true hero.

Amen to the blessed in this country comment.

   Thanks for not bringing up the separate oaths/vows that I made to two different women later in my life, I betrayed them both, shamefully, @Emjay. 
   My track record is not all that great since the first one to my Country and Constitution.

[Applewood]

My father graduated from college at age 19 in Jan. 1944 and knew his next stop would be military service. He enlisted in the Navy, but at 6'2" and 135 pounds he was considered unfit. Somehow, his official height miraculously was transformed to 5'9", and he was off to officers' training school, later to command an LST in the South Pacific.

This was a world war on multiple fronts and they needed all the manpower they could get.

[aligncare]

@aligncare 

About what was the date of this incident?

I remember being pulled off the top of a sandbag bunker on which I was merrily sleeping away in the middle of such a mortar attack very early one morning  in November of 1966. Beer 33 will do that to you!
]

October 1970. Were you stationed at Bien Hoa too? I was there 6 mos before being transferred to a lovely air base on the coast, Phan Rang. Much quieter there, with access to the beach. All was not conflict and drama those days. Remind me to tell you about the time I lost my virginity. Literally had to breech razor wire to get to her. What a hoot that was.

[Bigun]

October 1970. Were you stationed at Bien Hoa too? I was there 6 mos before being transferred to a lovely air base on the coast, Phan Rang. Much quieter there, with access to the beach. All was not conflict and drama those days. Remind me to tell you about the time I lost my virginity. Literally had to breech razor wire to get to her. What a hoot that was.

Only for a short while. Camp Alpha was there early on.  The day prior to the attack I spoke of a friend of mine named Carlson from Thief River Falls Minnesota and I had spent some time in Cholon District and overdid the Beer 33 thing largely!  I would have slept through the entire attack had not one of my buddies noticed me up there and dragged me down into the bunker.

[aligncare]

Only for a short while. Camp Alpha was there early on.  The day prior to the attack I spoke of a friend of mine named Carlson from Thief River Falls Minnesota and I had spent some time in Cholon District and overdid the Beer 33 thing largely!  I would have slept through the entire attack had not one of my buddies noticed me up there and dragged me down into the bunker.

Sounds like you got a few stories you could tell me! Whoooboy!

[Bigun]

Sounds like you got a few stories you could tell me! Whoooboy!

Maybe one or two!   ^-^

[edpc]

It’s too bad about Trump’s deferment.  He would have been the greatest soldier to ever serve.  Definitely would have mastered flushing Charlie out of those areas surrounded by trees, big trees, jungle trees.  Lots of beautiful women with delicate, tiny hands, just like his.  Could have grabbed them all by the Phủ Lý.  They would’ve sent him to Paris to negotiate a big, beautiful deal after Operation Linebacker II.  There’d be a wall - a beautiful wall, because he knows about building - on the DMZ that Ho Chi Mihn would have paid for.