"Fighter Pilot" needs to watch out for chickens coming home to roost

This former Army Nurse is not happy about the media's treatment of the Bush AWOL story. See this link for further details on her efforts to get the U.S. media to report on this story accurately (or at all).

http://www.agitproperties.com/chickenhawk.html



A Veteran Applauds KB Toys
by Maureen A. Griswold

September 30, 2003

Mr. Michael L. Glazer, President & CEO
KB Toys
100 West Street
Pittsfield, MA 01201

Dear Mr. Glazer,

Wow! You’ve made a life-long fan out of me! This may even be a love letter.

Because of cutting my baby teeth in retailing via a family-owned gift shop in San Jose, California, I sit up and notice when exciting gift products hit the market. I’m also a military veteran. Perhaps you’ve already guessed I’m writing about your retailing Blue Box Toys 12” plastic Action Figure “Elite Force Aviator: George W. Bush U.S. President & Naval Aviator.” Good for you! You, like our stellar president, must be a man of integrity, great marketing acumen, and possess a near genius IQ. Bet you and KB Toys are reaping in lots of cash and admiration with this “Top Gun” Action Figure dolled up just like our jet jockey president for his USS Abraham Lincoln extravaganza last May 1st. Mission Accomplished!

For heaven’s sake, why aren’t you putting this product in KB Toys stores? It’s only to be ordered from your website? This patriotic made-in-China spectacle missing from shelves makes it seem “AWOL” -- just like its inspiration was for his tour of duty in the Air National Guard during that annoying Vietnam War. Don’t be chicken(hawk), Michael Glazer! Provide the Dubya Action Figure in your stores for the consuming masses! So what if veterans and other insistent truth-tellers are disgusted and thousands of less patriotic Americans than you and me sign the online petition to boycott you at www.petitiononline.com/kbtoys. The hell with them -- there’s money to be made!

I hate to be a skunk at your company picnic, but there’s a defect with the Action Figure you need to fix pronto. Your website states KB Toys is a “socially responsible” company, so correct this ASAP lest you get tagged “socially irresponsible” -- bad for business. Then, jack up retail price from $39.99 to $49.99. Bigger profits!

The defect with the Action Figure? Something vital is missing: George W. Bush’s actual military service record. True, our “Deserter in Chief” has yet to voluntarily release his record, he’s amnesic if questioned, but don’t worry -- enough of it has been obtained per the Freedom of Information Act and is posted on the Internet to hang “Top Gun” out to dry. You, me, the whole world -- heck, even Dubya himself -- can go to www.awolbush.com and www.users.cis.net/coldfeet/document.htm and get an eyeful of the real deal. All you have to do, Mr. Glazer, is photocopy the following four documents I’ve enclosed for you and include them in each Dubya Action Figure box.

The first document: August 1st 1972 verbal orders of Francis S. Greenlief, Major General and Chief of the National Guard, suspending/grounding flyboy Bush for failure to accomplish annual medical exam. Hmmm, flyboy never flew again. Interestingly, 1972 is the same year the military instituted drug testing with medical exams and poor young Dubya had those pesky cocaine and booze problems including his being arrested for substance abuse.

Second: May 2, 1973 document with narrative that Lt. Bush has “not been observed” at his unit and in “nonflying status” with a unit in Alabama. He didn’t report to his squadron? A pilot who isn’t flying ? Some “Action Figure”!

Third document: “Notice of Missing or Correction of Officer Effectiveness Training Report,” for period May 1, 1972 to April 30, 1973. Basically, the brass can’t rate the boy – he’s missing.

And throw this in: Major Rufus G. Martin’s report jet jockey is not rated for “the period 1 May ’72 to 30 April ’73 . . . report not available for administrative reasons” -- “administrative reasons” is military fancy talk for “we’re not able to find the guy.”

Now just two little changes to the product’s box: change product’s name to “Elite Military Deserter,” then add small-type footnote near box bottom, “Note: ‘AWOL’ – ‘absent without leave’ and desertion’ (defined as ‘AWOL’ beyond 30 days), are actual crimes – crimes with NO STATUTES OF LIMITATION. This Action Figure is 30 years overdue his court-martial.”


Scott Craig Griswold
WO/WI, U.S. Army Helicopter Pilot
Born: December 23, 1947
Killed in Action: January 24, 1969

See, Mr. Glazer? Fast, easy fixes and KB Toys resumes being a “socially responsible” company with wholesome, honest products.

Because I hold you in such high regard, I’ve also enclosed the official military portrait of my brother, Warrant Officer Scott Craig Griswold, US Army Helicopter Pilot, killed in action January 24, 1969 near Pleiku, Vietnam. Think you might agree Scott was a handsome young man. He’s what a real combat pilot looks like – a non-AWOL, non-deserter pilot. His name is engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC along with those of over 58,000 other young Americans who didn’t go AWOL or desert during that particular war.

Come to think of it, how about producing and retailing an Action Figure based on my brother? My family and I won’t even ask for royalties.

Happy retailing, Michael Glazer. Be careful you don’t choke on George W. Bush “Elite Force” Action Figure profits while savoring yourself in the mirror. God Bless America and God Bless Corporate Greed!

Your new fan,

Captain Maureen A. Griswold, RN (ret)
US Army Nurse Corps (1977-1980)



Maureen A. Griswold (ArmyRNvet@aol.com) is a retired RN and medical writer from San Jose, CA.

 

I think the bigger issue is Bush's military record.

 

I think Maureen Griswold's main goal is to make Bush's military record a part of the campaign. If you check out the letter she wrote to the News Director of an ABC affiliate, you can see that what she really wants is coverage of the issue.

I see that the link I tried to provide to this material in my original post did not work, so I will try again. I also posted the letter below for convenience.


www.agitproperties.com/chickenhawk.html



January 24, 2004

Mr. Kevin Keeshan, News Director
ABC7/KGO-TV
900 Front Street
San Francisco, CA 94111



Hello again, Mr. Keeshan:

I'm sure you remember me, Maureen Griswold, here in San Jose just south of you at KGO-TV/ABC News in San Francisco. You were conscientious and kind enough to personally telephone me last August 24th following receipt of my August 19th 2-page letter/excoriation addressed to KGO-TV Newsroom Management. My letter referenced KGO's decision to air "Mission Accomplished/Top Gun" footage with respect to KB Toys release of the GW Bush "Elite Aviator" Action Figure after your newsroom received protest calls from military veterans. The veterans advised your newsroom of websites, most notably the GW Bush Went AWOL Home Page, that extensively documents the Bush military record and confirms conclusively that he committed the (no statute of limitations) crimes of AWOL and Desertion during his tour of duty with the Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. Enclosed with my letter was the official military portrait of my own brother, a Vietnam War casualty, and a document containing narrative from four documents from the Bush military record revealing AWOL/desertion.

Your August 24th call to personally apologize for the footage and the on-air anchors' jovial commentary - offensive to me and my bereaved family - was accepted, continues to be accepted, and is deeply appreciated. I also appreciate our 30-minute conversation about why this major news story from Campaign 2000 - the actual military service record of GW Bush - has yet to appear as in-depth investigative reporting in any American media and, stunningly, remains unreported in the context of our elective war on Iraq and its deadly, messy aftermath. Our conversational tone and exchanges were respectful despite our significant differences regarding such issues as "agenda setting," "timing," and "news-worthiness." I feel that the obvious and major cause of our differences is my experience of having served in the military - and my personal familiarity with war's second-worst-case scenario: the death in action of one's own family member.

The purpose of this communiqué is to furnish, free of charge, the attached research materials to ABC News and Mr. Peter Jennings because of Mr. Jennings' misinformed and unfortunate performance during the New Hampshire Democratic Debate this past Thursday evening. As you have a better chance of getting it to Mr. Jennings than myself, I request you forward this communiqué to ABC News headquarters in New York. Thank you.

Interviewing General Wesley Clark, Mr. Jennings questioned the General about filmmaker Michael Moore's calling GW Bush a "deserter" during a Clark rally and characterized Moore's statement as "a reckless charge not supported by the facts." Oh dear. It is woefully apparent that Mr. Jennings and his fellow prestigious journalists in the US media have repeatedly failed to do their homework on "the facts" of this story. Ergo, links to public information on the GW Bush military record appear below. Mr. Jennings won't have to lift his multimillion dollar-salaried derriere even one inch out of his chair to complete the following homework assignments. The only effort necessary is clicking the links to bring up web pages and hitting the print command. Presto!