> The UCMJ applies to reservists only while
> undergoing reserve training:
What's your take on the Holzer's article?
John Kerry, Criminal
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=15127
I'm still not seeing the basic "2001" premise in this thread.
It's a little late in the day. Maybe under Nixon but don't count on Ashcroft to do such a thing.
Kerry was a commissioned officer and therefore eligible for 3 types of discharges.
Honorable
General under conditions other than honorable.
Dishonorable.
Enlisted personnel are eligible for 5 types:
Honorable
General under honorable conditions
General under conditions other than honorable.
Bad Conduct Discharge
Dishonorable.
Since Kerry was eligible for the three above - let's take a look at what it take. Kerry would have received 3 dishcharges. One from the USNR to accept a commission. One when when he went off active duty and the final one from the reserves.
The vast majority of officers and enlisted men receive honorable discharges. You almost have to try and get something lower. The "Other than Honorable Discharge" for an officer has to be predicated on the action of a board of officers and something akin to an investigation. The Dishonorable can only come as a result of a General Court Martial. We would have definitely heard of that one and Kerry could have never run for public office.
This leaves the possibility of the "Other than Honorable". I have serious doubts this could have happened. The Navy would have had to convene a special board and Kerry would have had the right to appear. Given Kerry's notoriety at the time, I doubt this would not appeared in the print or broadcast media at the time.
I really think pursuing the status of M. Kerry's discharge is basically a dry hole. This is from someone who thinks he is basically the scum of the earth.
What I do think an SF 180 would reveal is that the After Action reports that predicated his Bronze & Silver stars were indeed "puffed" as well as the Purple Heart citations.
The swifties do an excellent analysis of John Kerry's Fitreps. These are the fitreps he has authorized for release. Most people that would be familiar with Officer evaluations and promotion boards could reasonably conclude that Lt. j.g. Kerry would never reach 04 on active duty and possibly not 03. Kerry's combat fitreps are the most damaging to his prospects of having a long Navy career. The fitreps also show there is probably a lot more info out there.