Dean

[darrels joy]

Dean used obscure back condition to get out of military draft in 1970; now admits that he was not eager to serve, although he says in interview, 'he probably could have'... Developing...
http:/www.drudgereport.com

[blues clues]

Joy don't forget our VP Dick Cheney said that going into the military wasn't in his time frame. that told me just what he and his kind thought of this country ( give me everything that I want but don't ask me to fight because that's not fair).
razz

[darrels joy]

n the winter of 1970, a 21-year-old student from Yale walked into his armed services physical in New York carrying X-rays and a letter from his orthopedist, eager to know whether a back condition might keep him out of the military draft.

This was not an uncommon scene in 1970, when medical deferments were a frequently used avenue for those reluctant to take part in the unpopular war in Vietnam. And this story would have little interest save that Howard Dean was the name of the young man. Now, 33 years later, he finds himself a leading Democrat in the quest for the party's nomination to be president of the United States.

Dr. Dean got the medical deferment, but in a recent interview he said he probably could have served had he not mentioned the condition.

"I guess that's probably true," he said. "I mean, I was in no hurry to get into the military."

In the 10 months after his graduation from Yale, time he might otherwise have spent in uniform, Dr. Dean lived the life of a ski bum in Aspen, Colo. His back condition did not affect his skiing the way the rigors of military service would have, he said, nor did it prevent him from taking odd jobs like pouring concrete in the warm months and washing dishes when it got cold.

Even the candidate's mother, Andree Maitland Dean, said in a recent interview about his skiing after receiving a medical deferment, "Yeah, that looks bad."

Young men with low draft lottery numbers had only a handful of choices to avoid military service. One was to flee the country, to Canada or elsewhere, as a relative handful did. Others chose National Guard service, if they could get it.

For many who did not wish to serve, a medical deferment was the easiest route of escape.

In a 1970 article in The New York Times, Curtis W. Tarr, the director of Selective Service, said the rising number of medical deferments ? from 24.2 percent of those examined in 1966 to 40.7 percent in July 1969 ? was causing alarm in Washington.

"It's one of the real inequities left in the system," Mr. Tarr said, because young men from wealthier families could afford to pay for tests that might uncover some deferrable medical condition.

Dr. Dean was born on Nov. 17, 1948, and his eligibility for the draft was determined by a lottery held on Dec. 1, 1969. His birth date was 143, and in 1969 people with numbers as high as 195 were drafted from this group, which was composed of men born between Jan. 1, 1944 and Dec. 31, 1950, according to the Selective Service. In 1970 the highest number taken was 125, and in 1971 it was 95. Three subsequent lotteries were held to cover those born in later years.

The back condition that apparently led to Dr. Dean's deferment had been discovered years before his armed services physical.

"When he was in high school, Howard developed these back pains and we decided we had to find out what it was," his mother said.

Dr. Dean went to an orthopedist, who diagnosed spondylolysis.

Many have the condition without feeling any symptoms, the Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons site says. Others develop a sense of muscle strain in the lower back, usually after periods of extreme physical exertion. Treatment usually involves little more than taking a break from the physical activity that caused the condition, after which it fades away, although it can recur. In some cases, surgery is warranted.

"I developed back pain when I was running track" in high school, Dr. Dean said. "It wasn't there all the time, but it was there some of the time."

In early 1970, more than a year before Dr. Dean's student deferment was due to lapse, he decided to see where he stood.

If approved for service, he said, he thought he might try Officer Candidate School, as a Yale friend had done. He said he had never considered the National Guard.

So, he came to his physical armed with X-rays and a letter from his orthopedist.

"It was like a scene from the movie `Alice's Restaurant,' " Dr. Dean said. "There was every kind of person you can imagine. Guys who weighed 375, guys who were 6-feet-5 with hair down to their knees and needle tracks up and down their arms."

Dr. Dean said he saw a young man sharing his urine specimen with a fellow draftee. "I mean, that is what it was like," Dr. Dean said. "Welcome to the U.S. Army, boys."

The future governor followed everyone through the various stages of the physical, eventually handing his packet to a military orthopedist.

A few weeks later, a letter arrived informing him that his draft classification had been changed from 2-S, the student deferment, to 1-Y. Under that classification, he was qualified for military service only in case of extreme national emergency, meaning that he effectively moved to the very back of the line.

As for those months skiing, Dr. Dean said such activity did not exacerbate his back condition, as running did. And, yes, he said, the pain does sometimes come back, especially now that he is getting older.

"Sometimes you'll see, when I get out of the plane or the car, that I walk and there's a bit of a limp for the first few yards," he said. "If I sit in one position for too long, it bothers me now."

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/22/po...partner=GOOGLE

[Keith_Hixson]

Draft dodging was a popular thing during Vietnam. I believe, if my memory serves me correctly, that a former President by the name of Clinton also dodged the draft. I WAS DRAFTED. I probably wouldn't have served in the military if I hadn't been drafted. However, when my country called I didn't try to weasel out of serving. I have never cared much for draft dodgers ever since. However, once I was in I found out that the military and I got along very well. I almost "re-upped". If the pay had been good back in 1969 I might stayed. (When I got out I was making $220 a month as an E-5. Amazingly my monthly check from the GI bill while going to college was $325 a month. My government would pay me more to go to college than as a salary of a NCO.) Anyway, I will never vote for a draft dodger. Never, never, never, never vote for a draft dodger. I served they also could have served. Even if I agreed with everything Dean promotes I would not vote for him. Not to serve when your country calls you seems unethical to say the least. And to me shows some character flaws I don't want in my President.

Keith

[SuperScout]

In addition to having an orthopedic spinal condition, I get the distinct impression that Dean also has spinal discoloration condition. Even more disconcerting than the ostrich he has as his foreign policy advisor, I think it's only a matter of time before he shows his real demeanor, and has a temper tantrum that demonstrates his basic instability. For pure, Saturday Night Live entertainment, I'd like to Dean and Clark in a one-on-one debate. There may not be a survivor!

[blues clues]

scout where I do agree that there people got out of the draft for questionably reasons, and I sure there are some of them still wearing a dress!not one of you have addressed what I said about the VP I guess if it is a Repb. it's OK if it's a Dem. it's OH SO Bad! get real.
v razz

[melody1181]

Must not forget that somehow or another Bush was able to stay in the states. He might as well of dodged it, but just had his father help em out I bet.

[darrels joy]

Cheney-Got out of High School, sent to Yale for a year, worked laying power lines for a time before attending Casper College for a semester, then transferred to the University of Wyoming in Laramie. He married in 1964. He arrived in Washington for the first time in 1968 as a University of Wisconsin graduate student on a fellowship.

So before the war got rolling full blast, he was available for the draft with no school or marriage deferments. He got married because he wanted to, not to avoid the draft (as some that I know did). He went to graduate school because he wanted to, not to avoid the draft because he already had the married with children deferment.

Bush-Served in the National Guard. Where I come from that doesn't take any political clout. You just go down and sign up before you get drafted. It was not a guaranteed way to avoid Vietnam. Some National Guard units were sent.

National Guard service-Darrel served in the National Guard before joining the Army and making the US military his career. My first spouse joined the National Guard. The worst day of the Vietnam War for him was when his Aunt came to town and said to his mother (while he was standing there all of 19 years old) "My son was a good boy and yours is not. Ronny should have gone to Vietnam. Ronny should have been the one to die." I know because I was there.

From 1968-69, 12,000 Army Guardsmen and 10,511 Air Guardsmen were called to serve their country. Over 9,500 Guardsmen were sent to Vietnam. Once again, the National Guard demonstrated combat-ready professionalism, earning over 4,000 decorations during the conflict. Air Guard included four tactical fighter squadrons. The Largest Army units to mobilize were the 29th Infantry Brigade and the 69th Infantry Brigade.

[melody1181]

My question, why is it always the demos that get called out for this. They were not the only ones who dodged, I can assure you that. I'm so sick and tired of this one sidedness. Like all republicans are just so perfect. If they make a mistake or such there are all sorts of excuses.

In my book they are all worthless not just.

Another thing, we don't know what really happened, its easy to judge but we were not where they were.

I think to many of the opposite parties would be glad to burn the other party at the stake or something, to much hate there.

[blues clues]

No hard feelings just wanted to point out just what tricky-dick-Cheney said, as far as Bush's questionably service I'm going there, As far as cheney getting married in 64 well so did I Friday was 39 years it didn't stop them from drafting me and putting me in a rice paddy but if you got friends in high places you can get away with anything! around here in the sixty you couldn't get in the Guard unless you knew someone are could get some doctor to say you were on your way to the grave yard or you really liked boy's thats why you had on the nice hooped dress.

razz