SHOULD HAVE JUST HIRED JACK BLACK TO IMITATE HIM:

In Michigan, the Ripoff That Wasn't (Ed Offley, March 8, 2004, DefenseWatch)

I have great news to report: Barry Bernhardt did not get ripped off.

The story appeared on the AP wire the other day, got picked up by the Drudge Report, and was the buzz of military and veterans' communities all across the nation: A public school teacher called up for active-duty training with the Navy had been forced by his employer to pay out of his own pocket for a substitute teacher to replace him while he was serving overseas.

The gist of the coverage was this Michigan public school administration telling Bernhardt, "Going off to defend the country? Here's the bill - pay up."

When I read the AP article I could feel my blood pressure spike. I'm sure every veteran, reservist, Guardsman and active-duty military person who saw the story had the same response: Who are those idiots in that @#$#% school district and what do they think they are doing?"

Deep breath: Here's what really happened.