Posted on 09/23/2004 4:01:19 PM PDT by recall_candidate
http://www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/military_records.html
(Excerpt) Read more at johnkerry.com ...
But Form DD 215 changed the wording of “Vietnam Service Medal” (which was awarded to everyone who served between July 3, 1965 and March 28, 1973). He requested the change to be from “Vietnam Service Medal” to “Vietnam Service Medal with 4 stars”. This would mean that he had 5 tours of duty; one for the ribbon, plus 4 more for each tour of duty after the initial one.
Yet according to accompanying documents, Kerry only had 3 tours of duty. Why did he purposely exaggerate his record so late in the game (Mar 2000)?
We already know the answer to that.
The original docs are on his own website!
Doc references:
DD214.pdf
DD215.pdf
Vietnam Service Medal.pdf
See for yourself!
http://www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/military_records.html
One more reason to vote for Bush.
Correction. Kerry did not serve even 1 tour of duty.
A Tour of Duty was 365 days. Count 'em. 1 Year!
Kerry had 2 assignments. Period. Quite a bit of difference.
It would be incorrect to say that someone taken from the field of battle either dead or disabled had not served a "tour in Viet Nam".
So anyone who was wounded seriously enough to be sent home after less than 1 year did not serve a tour of duty? I don't think so.
(Not that Kerry fits this category, I am simply disputing this unnecessarily strict interpretation of the term.)
he only had 1 tour + 5 weeks aboard the Gridley off the Gulf of Tonkin
As I vaguely recall the requirements for award of the Vietnam Service ribbon, it was you had to spend at least 24 hours in the combat theater during the "campaign".
Campaigns were generally about 6 months in duration. Such as the Tet Offensive or Summer Offensive 71, etc. Generally, if you spent a 13 month tour in RVN and the campaigns durations broke right, you could possibly earn a VSM with 2 stars.
Its hard to believe Cambodia John was in theater to earn 4 stars. I guess it depended on where the USS Gridley wandered.
Fair enough---I'm not disputing the problem with the VSM's, just Prost1's comment that anything under 12 months does not count as a tour.
According to the Vietnam Service Medal.pdf file, he was eligible for 2 stars. I'm not sure what criteria they used for THAT! But his change request (DD215) was from nothing to 4 stars! He doesn't even deserve the medal for God's sake.
What a wretched man he is . . .
The definition I provided is the one used by the Military.
A Tour of Duty (during VNam) was 1 year!
Being injured or killed has nothing to do with "Tour of Duty".
Kerry had 2 assignments: 1 aboard the Gridley, the 2nd, his 4mos 1 wk on Swift Boats. He did not complete 1 Tour.
When he says he served 2 Tours, he is lying!
Of course it does. If you are injured in such a manner as to secure your early return home, before this supposed year is up, by your definition it would mean that you have not served a tour of duty. I say that's hogwash.
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