No spin, just the quote from Gifted Hands

[NightWatcher]

"More exciting to me, General William Westmoreland (very prominent in the Viet Nam war) attended with an impressive entourage. Afterward, Sgt. Hunt introduced me to General Westmoreland, and I had dinner with him and the Congressional Medal winners. Later I was offered a full scholarship to West Point."

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/06/ben-carson-campaign-lies-west-point-admission-memoir

[CTyankee]

1. My uncle went to West Point. My grandmother arranged for him to make the application

because it was during the Depression and there was no money in the family to send anyone to college. My uncle was a math whiz and she knew he'd do well and get in.
And she knew that if one gets accepted to the service academies and serves for a period of time later, gets a free college education.

sure enough he did...just in time for WW2. I still have old family photos of him in his uniform. He served in the Pacific theater.

[monmouth4]

3. Off subject CTyankee but just wanted you to know I got an A++ on an art quiz on FB... I thought

of you and knew you would appreciate. All the great artists. I did get two wrong but still thought I did pretty good. Thanks again for my art education...LOL..

[CTyankee]

5. OMG, that's great! I am so happy. I'd love to see the quiz...

I'm preparing another essay which won't be ready for a while. I had such horrible problems with my file pics on the last try...found out that the file was somehow badly downloaded. I deleted it entirely. But I was depressed for days.

So a whole new art essay will be up in a couple of weeks I hope. I was so demoralized by the last melt down that I didn't want to start another for fear of abject failure.

You will like this essay. I'm excited about it. It's a painting I have long loved and it is now on loan for exhibit to the Gardner Museum in boston. I hope to get there soon and see it. It's wonderful...

[monmouth4]

6. I am happy it's all coming together for you. The test was very simple, multiple choice, etc. but

with no formal art ed. it was great for me. I would also tell you my son, also on FB, was extremely impressed..Bwahahaha, I loved it.

[CTyankee]

10. Hah! Impressed your son...love it...

[madamvlb]

2. I waited on Gen Westmorland.

I think it was 1985/86 for his class reunion at the Hotel Thayer @ West Point. I do recall very well that almost all of his classmates had nothing nice to say about him. He walked around like his shit didn't stink. Well, that describes almost everyone at WP!!

[spanone]

4. he repeated this on the Charlie Rose show. msnbc played the video today.

[NightWatcher]

7. He never said scholarship to West Point

[TexasBushwhacker]

8. Everyone who goes to a military academy

gets a college education in exchange for military service. Geez, he is so dense!

[struggle4progress]

9. WEST POINT APPLICATION PROCESS

... West Point will start your candidate file upon receiving a completed .. Questionnaire ... You must obtain a nomination in order to compete for admission to West Point ... At a minimum, candidates are eligible for a congressional nomination from their representative in Congress, their two U.S. senators, and the vice president of the United States ... Each year, more than 10,000 candidates open files for admission to West Point, but only about 4,000 receive nominations. A nomination is the legal authority for West Point to offer admission ... http://www.usma.edu/admissions/SitePages/Steps.aspx

... You apply to West Point by requesting and completing a .. Questionnaire and by obtaining a nomination, normally from a United States Congressman or a Senator ... Write a letter to your congressional representative and request a nomination. Members of Congress determine their own application deadlines, so apply early. A candidate cannot be offered admission without a nomination ... The majority of the Members of Congress use a competitive nomination process, whereby 10 candidates are named to compete for a single vacancy ... http://www.usma.edu/admissions/sitepages/faq_admission.aspx

[jen63]

11. There is a 3X qualification process.

The General just can't throw appointments around on the spur of the moment. Carson is telling tales.

[Recursion]

12. "Full scholarship"?

Umm... it's free.

[jen63]

14. Not really free.

You pay it back with mandatory military service after you're commissioned at the end of four years.

[Recursion]

16. Right, but I mean there's no "scholarship" involved

I knew a Middie who washed out of Annapolis and had to pay a shit ton of money...

[jen63]

17. My son is a Mid.

The first two years are paid through an endowment. At the beginning of the second class year, Mids sign their "2 for 7." It's a contract to finish their last two years and commit to five years of service after commissioning. If you leave after your 2 for 7 is signed, you pay the money back.

[Gothmog]

13. Carson lied