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Mr. Luddite

On 11/8/2015 4:02 PM, John H. wrote:
On Sat, 7 Nov 2015 02:12:41 -0500, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 11/6/2015 5:40 PM, Califbill wrote:
John H. wrote:
On Fri, 6 Nov 2015 10:45:25 -0800 (PST), wrote:

On Friday, November 6, 2015 at 1:18:49 PM UTC-5, Mr. Luddite wrote:
Outed regarding his claimed appointment to West Point.
That's the end of his political ambitions, assuming he
ever had any.

He's mis-remembering something that happened 46 years ago, and/or using
sloppy language to describer it. From what I've read, it's likely that
he did meet General Westmoreland, and they did discuss West Point.
Carson never applied, so the appointment was never granted. Perhaps he
had the impression that it was a given?

Almost as bad as claiming to have flown into Bosnia under
heavy sniper fire.

But that didn't end that particular career, did it?

If Westmoreland said he could get Carson into West Point, then Carson could have
gotten into West Point. Carson probably didn't know at the time that there is no such
thing as a 'full paid scholarship' to West Point, but I can imagine Westmoreland
using such a term. Cadets do not pay to attend USMA, but are, in fact, paid a salary
while there. They do incur a five year obligation to the military (at least it was
five years when I was in the military).

It's very easy to be confused about entrance requirements to USMA. As a young PFC, my
lieutenant urged me to apply, which I did. I went before a board of the company
officers, a board of battalion officers, and then went to the board at the brigade
level. When I walked in the personnel staff NCO at the brigade HQ happened to look at
my hand. He then looked up and said, "Are you married?" No one had asked that
question or noticed the ring. When I told him I was, he was shocked. Of course he
cancelled that board and let the full colonel presiding know about the boo-boo.

Was I offered a scholarship? No. But I was told by several officers that I could get
into the academy.

**** happens.

Now some liberal can make a lot of hay from my story, just as they are Ben Carson's
story.
--

Ban idiots, not guns!

Different ways of getting to military academy. I was a 2nd alternate for
my congressman. He had come competitive exams for his appointments. I
would have had to have both the primary and the 1st alternate fail somehow
to have got the appointment.

The problem with Carson's story is that all references to Westmoreland
being involved have now disappeared from his account of what happened.
In a book he claims it was Westmoreland who said he could get a
"scholarship". His most recent story (last night) was that he can't
remember who the people were who offered him the scholarship.

I was offered a scholarship to the University of Kansas, if I would major in a
'music' field. I have no idea who the people were who offered me the scholarship. I
didn't take it because I wasn't interested in a music major. I was 17 at the time.

Maybe he never met Westmoreland. But then again, if he was a 17 year old whiz kid
ROTC student, I would have no problem believing someone told him he could get him an
appointment at the academy.

Carson described Westmoreland's offer as a "scholarship". I'll give
him a pass on that and cock it off as semantics ... especially given the
fact that Carson didn't accept the offer ... wherever it came from.