Bush invite to event upsets dads

Sara Plummer reports for Tulsa World:

CHOCTAW — Oklahomans Warren Henthorn and John Scripsick are upset and disappointed that former President George W. Bush is considered an honored guest at Woodward's Independence Day celebration Saturday.

Both believe Bush and his administration shoulder some of the blame for their sons' deaths while serving for the U.S. military in Iraq.

Henthorn of Choctaw said his son, Army Spc. Jeffrey Henthorn, joined the Oklahoma Army National Guard when he was 17 and served six years. He enlisted in the Army in 2003 and was serving a second tour in Iraq when he died on Feb. 8, 2005, at the age of 25.

"I didn't much care for it. He had already done six years," Henthorn said. "He knew he was going to war. I did too."

Henthorn, who served during the Vietnam War, said he was "frozen" for about six months after his son's death.

"I never was for the war," he said. "The consensus now is that war wasn't necessary."

Scripsick's son, Marine Cpl. Bryan Scripsick, was deployed to Iraq in March 2007 to do house-to-house searches and investigate suspicious vehicles along roadsides. Six months after arriving, he was killed with three other Marines in a suicide bomb attack on Sept. 6, 2007. He was 22 years old.

Scripsick of Wayne said his son joined the Marines after talking with a recruiter at his high school.

"I was against it 100 percent," Scripsick said. "He kept saying 'The recruiter said more people die in car wrecks than in the military.' He kept talking about
seeing the world."

Henthorn invited Scripsick to some peace demonstrations, and both attended a protest when Bush came to Oklahoma City in September 2008 to raise money for former Republican presidential nominee John McCain.

"We've both become political junkies," Scripsick said. "We're just trying to figure out why our sons were sent to Iraq."

Both oppose Bush's visit to Woodward.

Henthorn said he started laughing when he heard Bush would be visiting the Oklahoma town of 15,000 people.

"I'm not saying anything bad about Woodward. I was kind of shocked by it. I don't believe he should be invited," Henthorn said.

Woodward City Manager Alan Riffle said most residents are thrilled to have a former president visit. Bush will speak in the new stadium at Crystal Beach Park about patriotism, independence and his life as president, Riffle said.

"We're not talking about politics, but the office and Independence Day," he said.

Riffle said protesters will not be allowed at the event.

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