Reader Ken Russell, of Clarksville, MO, a veteran Marine and Navy flier, writes us with even more evidence of the cluelessness of the Democrats' attack on President Bush's TANG service record. With his permission, we quote:

Yep, they were forgeries.  Something that several of us former and retired Reservists (myself a Marine pilot then through interservice transfer a Navy pilot, now retired) have been trying to get through to anyone who will listen since just after the 2K election is that W completely satisfied his drilling requirements.  This is based on the drilling records and fitreps made available.

There is something the Reserves have that the active duty does not:
make—up drills.  Real simple.  Byron York almost got it and almost broke the code a few weeks ago but damned if he didn't miss it like the rest of you.

W made up drills early (something we called pre—drilling).  Every service had and has its make—up drill regulations.  The Marine Corps Reserves had a very liberal makeup drill reg and the Navy's was a bit more restrictive.  However, if a unit is to wind—down or phase out , the pre—drilling regs go very liberal for good reason.  102's were being phased out.  W tried to get checked out in another aircraft but the draw down writing was on the wall and he was turned down.  The only real option was to get on with the rest of his life, by satisfying his drill requirements (fifty points per year) early in his year.  Fortunately, that is what the 102 community would have wanted back then anyway.

His 72—72 and 73—74 drill records show that he drilled early, getting fifty points and attending his drills.  That's the end of it.  He sure didn't show up in Alabama or at the 111th, because he didn't have to. 

Burkett's bold faced lie:

> /Documentation has refuted all claims that 1LT Bush continued to meet
> either the published regulations requirements for satisfactory drill
> participation,/

is disproven by W's drill records and Not Observed fitreps.  It is amazing to us that no one has figured that out or has taken the time to find out how the Reserves works.  It ain't active duty at all, but the world equates  the two.  The fact that W's drill records prove that he satisfied his military requirements made us Reservists know that Rather's 60 Minutes II thing was bogus before CBS aired Rather's story.

I wish someone in journalism would simply find out what pre—drilling is and realize that any and every "discovery" that W got preferential treatment, was AWOL, was a deserter, blah, blah, blah is completely wrong before it comes out of the left's media hopper.

Until then, we'll keep shaking our heads and laughing at the "fake memo" hooplah.