White House Releases Bush's Military Pay Records

WASHINGTON -- The White House, facing election-year questions about President Bush's military service, released pay records and other information Tuesday intended to support his assertion that he fulfilled his duty as a member of the Air National Guard during the Vietnam war.

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The documents, from a National Guard personnel center in Colorado, indicate that Bush received credit for nine days of active duty between May 1972 and May 1973, the period that has been cited by Democrats as evidence that Bush shirked his military responsibilities. The material included annual retirement point summaries and pay records to show that Bush served.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the president would have been paid only if he served.

"These documents outline the days on which he was paid. That means he served," McClellan said. "And these documents also show he met his requirements.

"And it's just really a shame that people continue to bring this up," he said. "The facts are clear."

Similar information also was released during the 2000 presidential campaign. McClellan said the information shows the president completed his duties and was honorably discharged.

Bush's military record was raised in the 2000 campaign and was revived this year by Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, who claimed Bush was "AWOL" during a period of his service when he was assigned to Guard units in Alabama. McAuliffe also suggested Bush avoided serving in the war by joining the Air National Guard.

McClellan called those accusations "outragous and baseless."

McClellan said he "doesn't have a minute by minute breakdown of all his duties in that time period," specifically 1972-1973 when critics say notings on records show Bush failed to show for some service.

"The president has recollection of serving at that time both in Alabama and in Texas," McClellan said.

Questions had been raised about whether his family ties helped him get into the Guard when there were waiting lists for what was seen as an easy assignment. Bush said no one in his family pulled any strings.

Bush has told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he did his duty and never saw action because his unit was not deployed. He said he wouldn't have been honorably discharged if he did not meet the requirements of service.

Questions also have been raised about why Bush was discharged early to attend Harvard Business School.