Kerry's Military records

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2004
Kerry's Military records
42
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 7:15am
John Kerry's service in Vietnam lasted 4 months and 12 days, beginning in November 1968 when he reported to Cam Ranh Bay for a month of training. His abbreviated combat tour ended shortly after he requested a transfer out of Vietnam on March 17, 1969, citing Navy instruction 1300.39 permitting personnel with three Purple Hearts to request reassignment. So far as we are able to determine, Kerry was the only Swift sailor ever to leave Vietnam without completing the standard one-year tour of duty, other than those who were seriously wounded or killed.

It is clear that at least one of Kerry's Purple Heart awards was the result of his own negligence, not enemy fire, and that Kerry went to unusual lengths to obtain the award after being turned down by his own commanding officer.

John Kerry has long insisted that using the three-injury loophole to leave combat early was his own idea, but Kerry's fellow Swift officer Thomas Wright, who served on occasion as the OIC (Officer in Charge) of Kerry's boat group, contradicts that claim. Wright reports that he "had a lot of trouble getting Kerry to follow orders," and that those who worked with Kerry found him "oriented towards his personal, rather than unit goals and objectives." He therefore requested that Kerry be removed from his boat group. After John Kerry qualified for his third Purple Heart, Thomas Wright and two fellow officers informed him of the obscure regulation, and told him to go home. Wright concluded, "We knew how the system worked and we didn’t want him in Coastal Division 11."

Constructing a complete picture of Kerry's service is difficult due to gaps in the Naval records provided by the Kerry campaign. These gaps include missing and incomplete fitness reports, missing medical records and missing records related to his medal awards.

Senator Kerry can clear all of this up if he would authorize complete access to all his military records by filing a standard Form 180, a simple two-page release form.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2003
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 2:47pm
President was authorized to take necessary steps by the congress against terrorism, but lets not debate the start of the war. It has not been managed properly ever since and without an exit strategy. More soldiers and civilians have been killed in summer of 2004 than in 2003. This mean the situation is deteriorating.

In my opinion economy is considered improving if companies start hiring instead of layingoff. I am still hearing the news about layoffs and more layoffs. That's not improving...you can debate how much ever you want on this ...Just in my co there is going to be 3500 layoffs for next few months. Delta airlines is on the verge of bkrpcy going to close their hub in Dallas, so it points to more layoffs just to give few examples.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-09-2003
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 3:46pm
There is no economic recovery! Hah! Ask any small business owner, and they will tell you that business stinks!

This hyperbole of Kerry's military records is simply a diversion from the real issues like the economy and the war. Unfortunately the comfortably numb will never see that!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 3:53pm
I don't agree that they're the FOUNDATION, but they are all that's getting air time in the media. As ogoddess has so well done you should now be aware of a few other things Kerry and Edwards stand for.

And if they aren't failures than Bush should trumpet them on every available occasion instead of attacking Kerry for the past five months.

Can't wait for Bush's platform to be released at the convention. I don't what he can offer to the American people when we've seen what he's done with the last four years.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-28-2003
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 3:55pm
I don't think Kerry brings it up so much as he defends it. The media seems to keep this in the news cycle ad nauseum. Our media really is pathetic. Have to watch BBC anymore.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-16-2004
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 5:19pm
I dont watch the mainstream media very often as, basically all news outlets get a hold on a story and bleed it to death (OJ Simpson, Laci Peterson, etc, etc)
Avatar for momeebear
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 5:50pm
Strongly agree.........bottom line: Kerry was there, Bush was not. End of story. (For me, anyway)
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2004
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 5:56pm
All Kerry has to do is sign that release form and we would have the answers about the Purple hearts, Cambodia, and the Silver Star.

If he has nothing to hide he would have already done it.

If he were not lying all of those SwiftBoat Vets would not be so pissed.

I have three cousins who died in Vietnam and I do not want to see this man in the White House.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 6:06pm

<< never completed his National Guard service,>>


Bush exceeded his required flight hours, met all of the hours required on duty to complete his 6 year contract, and was discharged early.

Renee ~~~

Renee ~~~

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-07-2004
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 6:06pm
All Bush has to do is tell us why he missed his last flight physical, and quit flying years before his tour was up. If he has nothing to hide, blah blah...

If Bush had truly done his duty & put in his full 6 years of safe, easy, weekend guard duty, I would have a bit more respect for him. But as it is, I'm pissed.

Yeah, I knew a few people who died there too. Maybe my friends or your cousins might be alive if Bush, Cheney, Powell, etc. had taken their turn & saved one of our less well connected friends & relatives.




< All Kerry has to do is sign that release form and we would have the answers about the Purple hearts, Cambodia, and the Silver Star.

If he has nothing to hide he would have already done it.

If he were not lying all of those SwiftBoat Vets would not be so pissed.

I have three cousins who died in Vietnam and I do not want to see this man in the White House.>

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Tue, 08-24-2004 - 6:37pm

That's a very impressive list of issues he wants to make a difference to. However, to

Renee ~~~