The Podcast Patriot

Researching a bit of McCain’s military experience, I was surprised just how little is out there. All of his military records of his POW experience was closed to the public. There are a few articles that were written that disturbed me, but hardly conclusive of his total military talent.  I was also concerned by the amount of combat experience he had compared to the hype he touts as leadership “under fire.”

So I wanted to give some comparison between the two candidates and their experience that would qualify them as Commander in Chief.

John McCain III’s Military Experience

McCain III graduate at the bottom of his class
Known for being a party guy, rather than a midshipman that was destined for greatness, McCain made it through the Naval Academy by the skin of his teeth. While that is still an accomplishment, there is some speculation that being a third generation Navy man may have helped.

McCain III crashed five aircraft
Being mediocre as a cadet followed more mediocrity as a pilot. His aircraft was directly involved in one of the worst naval fires in military history (the USS Forestall fire) where hundreds of lives were lost.

McCain III was awarded “medals for valor” equal to nearly a medal-and-a-half for each
hour he spent in combat
For 23 combat missions (an estimated 20 hours over enemy territory), the U.S. Navy awarded McCain III, the son of famous admirals, a Silver Star, a Legion of Merit for Valor, a Distinguished Flying Cross, three Bronze Stars, two Commendation medals plus two Purple Hearts and a dozen service medals.

“McCain had roughly 20 hours in combat,” explains Bill Bell, a veteran of Vietnam and former chief of the U.S. Office for POW/MIA Affairs — the first official U.S. representative in Vietnam since the 1973 fall of Saigon.

“Since McCain got 28 medals,” Bell continued, “that equals to about a medal-and-a-half for each hour he spent in combat. There were infantry guys — grunts on the ground — who had more than 7,000 hours in combat and I can tell you that there were times and situations where I’m sure a prison cell would have looked pretty good to them by comparison. The question really is how many guys got that number of medals for not being shot down.”

While this is nothing new for officers to get undue credit for their achievements, a real hero might have asked to stay a few of these awards out of humility or respect for his fellow POWs who received almost nothing in recognition for their struggle alongside Senator McCain.

According to his own account, he traded military information for treatment.
This one blew me away. I went through SERE (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape) training and know how important it is NOT to trade information for privilege. I refused to believe this accusation about Senator McCain, until I read the story myself (U.S. News & Report 1973).

I said, “O.K., I’ll give you military information if you will take me to the hospital.”

Now, admittedly he was being tortured in prison, but anyone who has gone through the training knows that this is not protocol and potentially harmful for the military, the prisoners and to himself. Other POWs who have similarly broken have lost their veteran’s benefits and been listed as “dishonoring” the military and their country. No one ever questioned or followed up Mr. McCain’s statements.

When the Vietnamese learned of his relationship to the Commander of the Pacific Fleet (his father), he was immediately sent to a proper hospital. McCain should have refused this privilege. He should have refused interviews with French reporters.

Most of his military career was spent wining and dining in Washington
When McCain returned from Vietnam, he had gone to flight school (1958-1960), he had served part of one tour in Vietnam (1966-1967), 5 years in a POW camp (1967-1973), a short tour at the War College speaking (1973-1974) and then one tour as a squadron commander in peace time for one year (1976-1977). His career was totally unremarkable when he returned– but when he was assigned to Washington D.C. as the lobbyist (1977-1981) for the Navy on Capitol Hill, his career took off. He spent the rest of his military career hanging out with politicians who wanted to be near a POW.

So while he was still in the military, he wasn’t working in an operational status. He was training for his post-military career as a politician.

Barack Obama’s Military Experience

Barack Obama stayed at a Holiday Inn Express once.