The email states as follows:
Dissecting Geoff Davis's BIO:
Notably absent:
Country of Origin
Location of Under Grad or Grad School (Pittsburgh?)
Actual Years of service? Highest Enlisted Rank achieved? Highest Commissioned Rank Achieved?
Exactly what was his enlisted Military Occupational Specialty and Commissioned Branch of Service?
Any actual combat tours? Desert Storm? Operation Just Cause in Panama?, The liberation of Grenada? Just what did he do? What significant experiences?
How long was his combined Enlisted and Commissioned service? Why did he leave the service – was it due to a less than stellar career and was he "RIFed" – a peace time reduction in force designed to cull the dead wood from the force?
Notable Potential Inflations of Service and Experience: "Davis served as an Assault Helicopter Flight Commander in the 82nd Airborne Division, and later ran U.S. Army Aviation Operations for Peace Enforcement between Israel and Egypt. Davis is a former Army Ranger and Senior Parachutist."
What exactly is this? It does NOT mean that he was a pilot or in any other way was in harms way or particularly accomplished. It sounds – and this is only my speculation – like he was a logistics officer type and maybe did a stint as a company commander. Not as impressive as the carefully chosen language of his bio would lead a less then fully indoctrinated in military jargon public to believe.
"Davis is a former Army Ranger and Senior Parachutist."
This does not necessarily indicate that he was an "Army Ranger" –i.e. Served in one of our three distinguished Ranger Battalions. Does it only mean that he went to ranger school? Or was he actually assigned as an Army Ranger with the 75th Ranger Regiment or one of the three Ranger Battalion as folks would expect from the term "Army Ranger"? Can we get clarification on this? Is this another example of the Right wing's manipulation of the facts?
And Senior Parachutist? - Just means that while in the 82nd he did a lot of standard static line jumps. It does not indicate that he graduated Jump Master School or other wise distinguished himself as would be the case if he had earned his "Master Blaster" as we call the Master Parachutist Badge. And it definitely is not as significant as if he had earned his "Mustard Stain" as we call the Parachutist Badge worn by few distinguished by the yellowish gold star - the badge of a veteran of an actual Combat Jump. EVERYTHING ELSE IS JUST PRACTICE.
"Davis studied the Arabic language and the cultures of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe, and focused his studies on national security and international affairs."
What exactly was his "focus". Was it something other than a couple undergrad classes?
Studied the Arabic Language? What level of proficiency did he achieve? Did he barely pass with a 0+/0+ rating - was he ever tested on proficiency - or is he actually significantly accomplished having achieve a 2+/2+ or greater rating. Was all of his study within a class room, or has he been forces to expediently learn to communicate while rapidly attempting to evaluate and treat an Arab language casualties. "Raja-an" please, "shukran" thank you, "shinu mushkila?" what is wrong?, "mu-Sab" injured, "Du-wa" Medicine, "nazeef" bleeding, "dam" blood, "sayyaraat is'aaf" Ambulance, "khatar" danger, "nefas" breath, "zim/mu-zim" good/not good.
Has he learned the language and the culture within the realities of a grieving family and a critically wounded Arabic local national in the midst of a war torn desperate nation. Has he delivered health care to remote Iraqi villages amidst desperate poverty and squalor? (i.e. terrorist breeding/recruiting grounds) Has he looked an Iraqi mother in the eyes and had to say "I am sorry, but there is nothing we can do."
The following is currently listed as his biography:
Elected in November 2004, Congressman Geoff Davis represents Kentucky's 4th District, which is the northern part of the state bordering West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana.With regards to jump masters, my source added the following:
Davis sits on the Armed Services Committee with assignments on the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities and the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces. He also sits on the Financial Services Committee with assignments on the Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises, the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity and the Subcommittee for Oversight and Investigations.
Davis is also an Assistant Majority Whip and serves as Vice Chairman of the Republican Conference Terrorism Public Affairs Team. Davis worked as a janitor during high school to help pay the family's bills. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and later received a rare appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. While at West Point, Davis studied the Arabic language and the cultures of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe, and focused his studies on national security and international affairs.
During his Army career, Davis served as an Assault Helicopter Flight Commander in the 82nd Airborne Division, and later ran U.S. Army Aviation Operations for Peace Enforcement between Israel and Egypt. Davis is a former Army Ranger and Senior Parachutist.
In 1992, Davis started his own business, a consulting firm specializing in lean manufacturing and high technology systems integration. When elected to Congress, the firm was in its 12th year and has earned the respect of CEOs and competitors alike.
Davis has served his community in Kentucky's 4th District in many ways, including sitting on the board of the Regional Court Appointed Special Advocate Association (CASA), which helps kids struggling to deal with problems due to abuse and neglect. Davis and his oldest daughter, Becky, have worked as mentors and tutors in inner city Cincinnati schools. Davis spent eight years as a volunteer Chaplain for the Kentucky Corrections Cabinet. He and his wife Pat live in Hebron, Kentucky, with their six children.
SENIOR Parachutist: Participated in a minimum of 30 jumps to include 15 jumps with combat equipment; two night jumps, one of which is as jumpmaster of a stick; two mass tactical jumps which culminate in an airborne assault problem; graduated from the Jumpmaster Course; and served on jump status with an airborne unit or other organization authorized parachutists for a total of at least 24 months.
I had stated that he did not require jump master school for the senior parachutist badge. I stand corrected - needs Jump master and at least 30 Jumps (which is fairly low) 15 of which are to be with equipment attached - ruck sack, weopon or other item beyond self and parachute.
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