The Pentagon has turned more documents over to the Associated Press. There was a letter from George H.W. Bush to the commander of the training center at Lackland Airforce Base where Boy George was enrolled, some news releases from the Texas Air National Guard, and, as Matt Kelley writes,

two single-page orders documenting Bush's guard training in May and June of 1973 after he returned from Alabama. Those documents note that Bush was not allowed to fly. Bush lost his flying status in August 1972 because he failed to take a required medical exam.

But it's the letter and the press release that are the fun stuff.

The commander of the training center, Maj. Gen. G.B. Greene, Jr., took it upon himself to write George's dad, who was a Texas Congressman at the time. The letter has not appeared. But Gen. Greene apparently praised young George to his dad, in an act that must have left a distinct chocolate ring around his mouth.

Daddy Bush wrote back,

I was surprised and very, very pleased to receive your letter of Aug. 27th.

Then, according to Kelley, Bush added,

that a major general in the Air Force would take interest in a brand new Air Force trainee made a big impression on me.

Thereby letting the general know that he had felt the lips, and they were delightful.

Indeed it is surprising that a general should show such interest in "a brand new Air Force trainee." But it is not surprising that he should show an interest in Congressman Bush's son, who was born with a silver spoon in his nose.

The letter went on to say that young Bush, on his first trip back home, was full of enthusiasm and kept the family up talking about his first instructor, Sgt. Henry Onacki, who had impressed Bush with his love of country and dedication to the Air Force.

"In this day and age when it has become a little bit fashionable to be critical of the military, I was delighted to see him return to our house with a real pride in the service and with a great respect for the leaders that he had encountered at Lackland."

What tact! More likely is that Boy George kept them up all night on a binge in which he did donkey brays in imitation of Sgt. Onacki.

But then there is the press release. And it is just precious...

"George Bush is one member of the younger generation who doesn't get his kicks from pot or hashish or speed," the news release said. "Oh, he gets high, all right, but not from narcotics."

Not from flying either.

It's good to see the AP develop a little balance in their reporting. Go read the entire article.

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