Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2004 | 10:52 a.m.
In the midst of controversy over his own record in the National Guard, President Bush told a crowd of at least 3,500 Guardsmen on Tuesday he was proud of his military service.
In his half-hour speech to the National Guard Association in Las Vegas, Bush did not address recent allegations that he dodged National Guard duties during the Vietnam War.
Instead, he received a warm reception as he repeated much of his typical stump speech and pledged commitment to the war on terrorism.
"These are dangerous times," he said. "My most solemn duty as the president is to protect the American people. If America shows uncertainty and weakness in this decade, the world will drift toward tragedy. This is not going to happen on my watch."
The comment drew one of six standing ovations that the crowd gave to Bush.
Guardsmen also went wild when Bush repeated his anecdote about how he was confronted by a man three years ago, on Sept. 14, 2001, as he stood in the ruins of the Twin Towers.
"A guy grabbed me by the arm, he looks me straight in the eye and he says, 'Do not let me down,' " Bush said. "I wake up every morning thinking about how to better protect America. I will never relent in defending our country, whatever it takes."
Many national news outlets were watching the speech to see how Bush would address the accusations against him -- and how guard members would receive him.
Recent reports have cited documents showing Bush failed to show up for training and physical examinations while serving duty, though some documents have been called into question.
Several Guard members and their families said they didn't expect Bush to talk about the issue. Las Vegas residents Theresa Bunker and her 21-year-old son, Josh, met Bush on the tarmac soon after Air Force One landed.
"It's unnecessary," Theresa Bunker said. "I think it's just garbage stuff. We're getting very close to the election."
Josh Bunker, who returned from Iraq three months ago, added: "The past is done. What matters is the future."
Scott Stanzel, the Bush-Cheney national press secretary, said Bush hears these accusations every time he runs for office and didn't feel the need to address them before National Guard members.
"The president is proud of his service in the National Guard," Stanzel said. "He served honorably and rightfully received an honorable discharge."
Tuesday's visit was another brief stop for Bush, who touched down at McCarran International Airport at 11:25 a.m. and took off just two hours later. Bush made a similar visit to the city on an Aug. 12 campaign swing.
Gov. Kenny Guinn, Secretary of State Dean Heller and Attorney General Brian Sandoval all greeted Bush on the tarmac and hopped into his limousine with him.
Theresa Bunker provided support to families in Josh Bunker's unit while it was in Iraq. Bush greeted her, she said, with a "Hi, mom!"
They then rode in the motorcade with presidential adviser Karen Hughes, who Theresa Bunker said was equally down-to-earth.
"There's nothing that's phony about any of them," Theresa Bunker said.
As the motorcade lined up on the hot tarmac, top Bush adviser Karl Rove yelled to the press, "Remember, it's a dry heat!"
Although Bush did not talk about his time in the Guard, he did acknowledge that National Guard members now face a different sort of duty than during the Vietnam War era, when guardsmen rarely were deployed overseas.
While still being called on for national emergencies -- such as the recent hurricanes in Florida and after Sept. 11, 2001 -- a growing number of guardsmen are being sent to overseas conflicts in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"The National Guard has played a critical role in every aspect of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom," Bush said. "More than 185,000 Guard members have been called up to serve on every front in the war on terror. You are a vital part of our strategy to defend America."
In exchange for that duty, Bush said, the administration is working to give Guard members at least 30 days notification before they are mobilized and more clarity on the length of time they will be mobilized, he said.
The administration also wants to minimize extensions and repeat mobilizations by moving forces out of low-demand specialties such as heavy artillery to high-demand jobs such as military police, he said.
The Bush administration has spent almost $14 billion for construction and support of Guard facilities, he said. And Bush promised to ask for a permanent expansion of TRICARE medical benefits to guard and reserve forces to give them access to care for up to 90 days before they report to duty and 180 days after deactivation.
"Our strategy is clear," Bush said. "We're defending the homeland, we're transforming our military, we're strengthening our intelligence services. We're staying on the offensive.
"We will strike the terrorists abroad so they can't come here and hurt us," he said.
Bush promised that the sacrifices in the wars will be honored when Iraq and Afghanistan elect their own democratic governments and the countries are stabilized, just as Japan -- a U.S. enemy in World War II -- is now a key ally.
It was clear, Bush said, that diplomacy wasn't working in Iraq as the Saddam Hussein defied U.N. Security Council orders.
"So I had a choice to make," he said. "Do I forget the lessons of September the 11th and take the word of a madman? Or take action necessary to defend America? Given that choice, I will defend America every time."
Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry is scheduled to address the Guard convention Thursday. A Kerry aide said he would talk to the convention about foreign policy, the military and America's priorities on national security.
archive
