[MACVSOG68]

Fitreps are always inflated, not just during the Vietnam Era. That being said, one mark or two below perfect isn't a major deal for a LTjg, especially since he is noted as being new to the command. It is fairly common to downgrade a new check in for ranking reasons and then move him up. You have to leave room to do this. 9 below might be a different story but I don't know that this is that big of a deal.

That's absolutely right. I would not tap his VN record and hope for some smoking gun. His fitrep wasn't great, but did not indicate anything terrible either. There is so much more to work with by outing his VVAW record and his record in the Senate.

[MindBender26]

>"That's absolutely right. I would not tap his VN record and hope for some smoking gun. His fitrep wasn't great, but did not indicate anything terrible either. There is so much more to work with by outing his VVAW record and his record in the Senate."

EM rankings were always more realistic, but OER's were a joke. One O-1 Arty FO dropped 155mm rounds among the friendlies on two occasions in RVN (no one hurt), was sent back to Ft. Sill and shot out of safety zone sinking an unoccupied civilian boas on local lake, was drunk most of time and still got a 96% on his "Little Men at the bottom of the form" ranking from his rater.

I refused to write a concurring review. Finally got it knocked down to a 92.

[HRoarke]

I think that if there is a smoking gun that it lies in his tax records. Chris Lahane tried to make a stink about Kerry not releasing them once Lehane left to join Clark's campaign. When your former campaign manager, who now is working against you, starts asking for something, it's a pretty good indication of a black mark...