George W. Bush’s Pilot
Instructor Weighs In
I can ... give you some personal observations upon which I base my opinion of Governor Bush. George W. Bush arrived at Moody AFB, Georgia, for undergraduate pilot training (UPT) in 1968 as a member of the Texas Air National Guard. I was assigned as one of his Instructor Pilots. The atmosphere at this training base was somber and dead serious, as the student pilots were all either going to Vietnam or subject to being called up for combat duty as members of a Guard or Reserve unit.
George W. Bush put himself totally into the task of becoming the best aviator in the class. His unit flew Century Series jet fighters, which required the best pilots. There was no room for error, as these airplanes were unforgiving, and the price for a mistake was often the pilot’s life.
George W. Bush appeared to have that “fighter pilot attitude” from our first meeting. This attitude can best be described as: “I can handle the situation--regardless of the odds.” He was extremely competitive and eager to learn every thing about his machine and the enemy’s tactics. He was quick to pick up the flying skills necessary to maneuver an aircraft into a position to shoot down an enemy aircraft. Being a fighter pilot is truly like being a modern day gladiator. When two jet fighters meet in combat, there is usually only one survivor. It is the ultimate test of your skills, and you must hone these skills until you have complete confidence that you will be victorious--that in the air you are invincible.
Cocky? You bet!!! That was the attitude that saved England during the Battle of Britain, when a small cadre of British fighter pilots turned back the German onslaught. “Never have so many owed so much to so few,” were Winston Churchill’s words describing the RAF victory. This standard is part of the heritage of every fighter pilot.
The traits which, I believe, made George W. Bush a good fighter pilot and would also make him a good president are:
Leadership -- a “take charge” attitude.
Stamina -- when the going gets tough, the tough get going.
Sincerity -- a love of country and care for your fellow man.
Integrity -- knowledge of and willingness to act upon honest principles.My personal bottom line used to be, “Would you follow this person into combat?” Well, I’m a bit old now for combat, but I respect George W. Bush’s leadership abilities, and I would follow him anywhere!
Respectfully submitted,
Colonel Thomas G. Lockhart, USAF (Ret)
SEA: F-105 -- 1965-66 F-4 -- 1971-72
Decorations: SS, DFC (4), AM (15)