This is for you rraley

[SamSpade]

Originally posted by SurfaceTension
Lessee if I have this straight....
On the one hand we have a guy who tried to get a deferment, couldn't, so he enlisted in the Navy thinking he'd see little combat.

On the other hand we have a guy who tried to get a deferment, couldn't, so he joined the Guard thinking he'd see little combat.

That about right?

Close. I'm not aware of Bush applying for a deferment, since he joined the Texas National Guard about a week or so before his student deferment ran out.

While it is probably true that he did not want to serve in Vietnam - at the time of his joning the guard, men were dying in Vietname at the rate of 350 a week - he claims he wanted to be a fighter pilot, possibly to follow in the footsteps of his father, a decorated fighter pilot from WW2. I've read numerous accounts from several, that George excelled at this.

I only mention this, because I AM tired of hearing that John Kerry volunteered, left his world of privilege and CHOSE to go. Like hell. He wanted out, chose the Navy, and when he got close to combat, exploited the 3 Purple Heart loophole by getting them for minor injuries in a span of four months. He brought along a camera to film his exploits and upon his return to the states, parlayed the entire experience into launching his political career, something I believe he had in mind the entire time. I don't see him as terribly heroic, especially since he labelled HIMSELF as a war criminal. What I see is an opportunist. He was willing to trash his comrades and lie a little to advance his political aims.

 

[Bruzilla]

Originally posted by rraley
I think that a man who will ram his ship on a river bank in Vietnam knows what he's doing on national security matters.

Speaking as a guy who's worn the uniform, I think Kerry should have been punished for going ashore to take a war souvenier and placing his command in danger. In that combat environment you never, ever, go ashore as you force the crew to wait for your sorry behind if the shooting starts again. There was no need for Kerry to do anything during that engagement as the weapon in question was not reloadable and the man who had fired it was dead. The only reason he had for going ashore was to get a trophy, and this is the guy you think should head the military?

Also, the most significant aspect of Kerry's service has yet to be discussed... that is how does a guy who's done everything possible to avoid combat get transferred from a plum job as an assistant engineering officer on a destroyer to one of the worst direct combat jobs the Navy has? The Navy doesn't make transfers of that nature unless someone has seriously screwed up. You don't spend thousands and thousands of dollars training a one-term officer to be an engineer and then throw away that investment without a very, very, good reason. That reason is what the American people aren't being told.