troops to teachers

It was a laugh-out-loud moment for me and SC (a teacher) when John McCain stated his support for Troops to Teachers. Here is the exact quote:

We need to encourage programs such as Teach for America and Troops to Teachers where people, after having served in the military, can go right to teaching and not have to take these examinations which -- or have the certification that some are required in some states.

On what planet does that sound like a good idea? So I checked the website for Troops To Teachers, which states:

Troops-to-Teachers provides Referral Assistance and Placement services to military personnel interested in beginning a second career in public education as a teacher. The DANTES Troops-to-Teachers office will help applicants identify teacher certification requirements, programs leading to certification and employment opportunities.

That certainly sounds different than what McCain said. So either McCain misspoke, he doesn't understand the program, or I am missing something about the program. I don't think he misspoke; his statement is pretty clear. But minimizing the impact of things that most people find pretty important - teacher credentialing, "spreading the wealth" (we have a progressive tax structure if you haven't noticed), nuclear safety, "health" of the mother - seemed to be McCain's theme.

Truly odd.