CNN and Pastor Mark Burns
Someone alerted us last night of an interview that CNN planned to run this morning between Trump supporter Pastor Mark Burns and CNN employee Victor Blackwell. The backstory was that there inconsistencies in Burns’ version of his military career. So, we find out that the inconsistencies are that Burns claimed that he was an Army Reservist, but it turns out that he was a National Guardsman.
Blackwell looked like he was going to jump out of his chair and start shouting “Stolen Valor! Stolen Valor!” when Burns admitted to the slip. So, good job, CNN. You made up for not questioning Hillary Clinton, Richard Blumenthal or Elizabeth Warren for their lies by picking on a black Trump supporter. he never claimed that he had active duty service, but CNN had to add that part in their slide to make it appear as if they had a case against him.
In fairness, it appears that Burns did exaggerate some of his academic claims but he didn’t exaggerate his military claims. The differences between service in the Reserves and the Guard only matter to Guardsmen and Reservists. Service in the Guard might be more difficult since they serve two masters.
What military service does Blackwell have under his belt? According to Wiki, none.
Category: Politics
“did exaggerate some of his academic claims”
Yea … like he actually graduated …
I always thought Army reserves and National Guard were one and the same, at least the same designation as being reserve forces…so whats the big deal?? Another bash him because he is a pastor? or bash him because he is pro-Trump?
The Army Reserve and Army National Guard are both considered “reserve components” of the US Army (as the AF Reserve and Air National Guard (which apparently only 2-3% of the US even knows exists) are “reserve components” of the US Air Force).
The difference is the National Guard still makes at least a notional attempt to hold up the original intent of federalism while the USAR is a full-on federal force.
As many civilians would not know the difference, it may have been easier to just use the small ‘r’ term of ‘reserves’?
Uhmmm. Guard members ARE reservists.
Victor Blackwell probably doesn’t know this, because he is a report, and therefore stupid, but the Army National Guard is a reserve component of the United States Army. So calling himself an “Army reservist” sounds completely accurate.
“Report” = “reporter”
Guard members probably have spent more time in Irag and Afghanstan than reserve Army over the last 20 years. Our local guard unit has been activated several times.
Army National Guard has a large percentage of the ‘Total Army’ combat forces. Army Reserves on the other hand are completely support units, or “enablers” in Army lingo.
Reservists and Guardsmen are practically the same. Some small differences but to the average Joe on the street they are interchangeable nouns.
Yeah, I am a reservist, (note the small r) but I am not in the Army Reserve. Pretty simple.
The takeaway from this is that CNN didn’t, as usual, do any actual reporting on those on the far left. “You made up for not questioning Hillary Clinton, Richard Blumenthal or Elizabeth Warren for their lies by picking on a black Trump supporter”.
liberal morons from CNN could not do anything without bashing someone, for nothing, for anything, or for anything MADE UP!!
I joined the NG when I got off active duty. When I talk to civilians about what I’ve done and what I’m doing now, I’ll pretty much use “reserves” and “NG” interchangeably. It’s not like they know anyhow, and it’s not like I’m claiming some grandiose achievement in which I had no part. Whatever.
Thats’ funny because up in the area I lived most of my life people use “The Guards” for their weekends and 2wks.
About the only people that might get upset and crazed over this is those on the left wanting to play semantic word games on everyone but those that deserve it
At any other time, that same CNN reporter would have most likely referred to National Guard members as reservists.
Actually the guy may have been technically correct, he was a member of the Reserve component. I believe the correct grammar is active duty, Reserve component, and retired.
NG is more CA and Reserves are more CS and CSS.
There is overlap for sure.
Today, instead of CA, CS, and CSS, the Army uses ARSOF, Operations, Operations Support, Force Sustainment, and Health Services. Chaplains have been moved to “External Resource,” but are practically in Force Sustainment.
There is a difference? I thought it was the same thing.
Learn something new every day.
Don’t you love ambush journalism? The ginning up of faux outrage about NOTHING. Got to fill that air time with something, even if it’s flash and rash. GOTCHA! Oh, look, a chicken! Hmmmm…
It will get to the point that folks will refuse to talk to members of the turd estate, period. Go interview Geraldo, Todd. Won’t sell much advertising, and thus into well deserved oblivion.
RIP Scoop Shoeleather, boy reporter. Sniff!
If he were in the Hildabeast camp, CNN would be circling the wagons for him and screaming “racist.”
Yes indeed!
The guy is a huckster, an emotional predator. So are most Televangelists. They live mostly off of SSN money sent to them from people who fear death so much they will do anything to grasp onto hope.
Of course he is full of shit, he makes a living being a blow hard. He padded his resume…big deal. People like him will always be around to prey on the gullible.
On the day of judgement, man will account for EVERY IDLE WORD! You might want to reconsider a lot of your IDLE words and mocking God!!
I’ll pray for you Dave.
Or you may prefer, I’ll have good thoughts toward you.
A former full blown heathen who was saved by the Grace of God at the age of 54. No one was more surprised than I.
Yep, 12 years ago, Thank you Jesus !
Thanks, I am not offended in any way when people say they pray for me. I appreciate the well intended gesture most of the time.
I will say some kind things to my coffee cup for you. I was Christian many years ago and then the spell was broken by evidence.
I never knew the real meaning of serenity until I was fee of the bondage called religion.
Best regards.
Lighten up, Francis! Every time you threaten someone with divine retribution, you add that to your OWN karmic fate.
“I received a message from god (THEIR god, not MY God. Lower/Upper cases intentional)and he wants you to send $xxxx to ‘sow a seed’.” Yeah, well, my God doesn’t want me to take your money to make you even poorer in pursuit of curing a chronic disease, eliminating your poverty (oh, the irony)or curing your nephew of his heroin addiction. They are among the lowest form of life.
I always referred to both as the reserve forces when on AD. I didn’t really pay attention to the subtle differences until I left AD and went in the NG.
I guess to the left wording is important, you know, like the difference between “lie” and “miss-spoke”
Burns got burned by himself! He talks about a “shame” of politics but the only shame hereis this phony baloney Burns and all of the other military phonies and liars that litter this world.
It takes special stupidity to rock lies that will appear throughout the media.
I’m sorry, how is Burns either a phony or a liar? Conflating reservist with Guardsman?
I’m sorry you missed the above line: ” In fairness, it appears that Burns did exaggerate some of his academic claims …”
That is my reference.
I believe there is a difference. You could retire from the National Guard with 20/25 years of service and still not be considered a veteran if you were never activated for federal service. In today’s time that will be rare.
Kevin
Chevy like to tell people he was in The Guard. He has a really neat story about the time he went downrange, to Waco.
Hi Chevy, you fat fuck.
The Guard is under state control but can be federalized. The Reserves isn’t. It’s not a big difference except for their missions.
Full disclosure, I spent 7 years AD, 19 years USAR. Now fully retired and living off the government tit. ?
Doesn’t alter the simple fact that both are still reserve forces, hence so many of us asking just what he is being accused of lying about.
And the Guard isn’t exactly “under state control,” at least not in the way it used to be. It is now only under state control if and when it is convenient to the feds for it to be under state control. A Gov can’t really use the Guard for much of anything without federal permission. There was much more direct control at the state level prior to the federalization of the Guard back in the late 60’s.
Under state control, only in the fact that Guardsmen receive a State Military Dept. paycheck, and Army Reserve members receive a Federal check for their respective monthly and annual service.
The Reserves no longer have front line units, being designated for support roles for Big Army when required.
The Guard has combat units of all flavors, maintain support elements, and can deploy autonomously within state or federal requests.