Records on medals spark questions

Washington Times ^ | 4/22/04 | Charles Hurt

[kattracks]

The military records that Sen. John Kerry posted on his Web site yesterday raise new questions about the actions he took to earn several prestigious war medals and whether he deserved them.

The Navy awarded Mr. Kerry three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star and a Bronze Star in just four months of commanding a gunboat along rivers in Vietnam. It's an extraordinary record, say many veterans, and one that raises questions on its face.

[farmfriend]

Another barfo. Here is to the vets with real honor.

[Texas Eagle]

Having never served in the military I would like to know from those who have whether or not it is standard operating procedure for a soldier to submit him or herself for medals.

[america-rules]

" "His Bronze Star medal citation appears to be based on an injury he did not receive," said Mr. Kaufman, who now lives in Germany. "His arm was not bleeding. If the paperwork had said, 'Kerry had a bruised arm,' I wonder if he would have been given this medal for bravery?" "

This would be a good TV spot if Bush had to get really dirty !

[Waco]

Clearly Kerry was "gaming the sysem", probably all planned well before he got to Asia.

[risk]

Here is to the vets with real honor. I agree, and thanks for making the point so well.

[Sareln]

How very interesting, this seems to jive more with the type of man John Kerry has demonstrated himself to be... rather than the macho image the campaign is trying to put forward for Joe average.

[NRA2BFree]

Poor baby scratched himself and put in for medals. The big sissy, he's NO hero. He's a joke. I can't wait to see the Bush campaign make the ad for this one. It will be hilarious, no doubt. ;-)

[bolobaby]

Having never served in the military I would like to know from those who have whether or not it is standard operating procedure for a soldier to submit him or herself for medals.

Anyone with knowledge of an event warranting a medal can submit a 638-1 to recommend the medal. The command structure can either approval the medal, deny it, or recommend an alternate award. Submission usually does not include the soldier being recommended for the medal. In fact, I have never heard of such a thing in all my military service.

[stylin19a]

Superhuman" is how Ray Waller, a combat medic in the Marines, described Mr. Kerry's record of awards.

Marines have Navy Corpsmen. Maybe the writer got confused ?

[sinktheslimes]

it is very clear that KERRY GAMED THE SYSTEM...he knew the 4 purple heart rule that would allow him to "get out of virtnam early"...unlike bush jr, he was a far better planner of a politcal career...and he spent the least amount of time to gain the PC he now uses...

to me, having served during the same time, kerry used his intelligence to figure out a scheme to get credit and medals and get the hell out...others who died were left behind who had far more serious wounds but had a GREATER OBLIGATION TO THE TROOPS under their command...BUT NOT "wrong way" kerry

his career after he left vietnam shows the coward he is when it comes to defending the memory of those who died and were injured in nam...he hates the military and his votes prove it...

he took a medal he didnt deserve and he took risks to GET OUT EARLY it was as well planned as CLINTON risks with monica...and if the truth is examined he didnt have the moral right to leave nam in 16 weeks when everyone else left after 52 weeks

sadly bush jr and his party girl daughters conduct isnt mush better...but at least bush has developed a moral backbone while kerry wont acknowledge the truth

[NRA2BFree]

This speaks volumes about the character of John Kerry. He has NO honor. NO class. He did all of that so he could get out of Viet Nam early. He's definitely NO war hero.

[claudiustg]

There's the kind of person who will push themselves forward for every honor, promotion, or choice assignment and there's the kind of person who's mission oriented and will insist that others are more deserving than themselves.

I think we all now know what kind of person Kerry is, but it would be interesting to know what kind of honors his subordinates received during the same period.

[america-rules]

"Having never served in the military I would like to know from those who have whether or not it is standard operating procedure for a soldier to submit him or herself for medals."

I served 21 years and we used to call these people Golden Boys. They were usually dangerous to others but would get someone else to sign off on the paper work.

I was told several times that I had to write my own medal and I refused every time and it probably hurt me in the long run. I did write hundreds and approved hundreds to be sent up the chain because a Col or higher had to approve them. For a bronze star they went way up the chain to a 3 or 4 star and took six months to get approved.

There's something not quite right with Kerry's medals. His citation said he was bleeding and if he wasn't he wouldn't get the medal so if the record shows he wasn't bleeding it was fixed!

By fixed I mean the citation had to justify the medal and someone was told to justify it or Kerry wrote it himself and lied. When this happens it's written with alot more heroism etc. then what actually happened.

Just FYI: Medals are usually approved by what the citation says and some commanders will require one or two pages with details as an attachment. I have no idea what the Navy policy was back then.

[wireplay]

I'm a little leery about posting this but....

On my wall is a Purple Heart. Received by Thomas Henry Churchill for a shot to the head. Above the Purple Heart is a memorial picture. For someone to claim that a scratch deserves this medal is a dishonor to all those that served.

A Purple Heart is not a trophy. It is a memorium for those that suffered and those that lost.

[Anti-Bubba182]

"...Mr. Kerry still refused to release medical records that more thoroughly describe the injuries..."

That is all you need to know. There is no reasonable explaination for this except the injuries were so trivial that they make a mockery of his Purple Heart awards.

[KellyAdmirer]

So Kerry, who was anti-war before he ever went to Vietnam, decides that if he has to go, why not get as much out of it for himself as possible and put himself in for medals every chance he gets. Given a flaw in the medal-awarding procedure wherein he could recommend himself for his own medals, he got away with it in record time. Then, just to make sure everyone will get the point later, he - this is the brilliant part - actually goes back to the spots shortly thereafter and FILMS HIMSELF RE-ENACTING THE INCIDENTS! This sets himself up for either a post-war career as war-hero, or innoculates himself against being called unpatriotic if, as he truly felt, he wanted to build his political career on opposition to the war. Apparently, he tried the former, and when that didn't work out, went to plan B and was wildly successful with it.

Pretty neat. Slimey and revolting, but neat.

[jnarcus]

reminds me of Frank Burns character on MASH...put in for a purple heart over a paper cut...what a maroon

[LdSentinal]

Senator Boo-Boo.

[kimosabe31]

Kerry is a phoney. I barf at the notion he could become president. Military records and Kerry's behavior after returning from Nam all support the conclusion that he's
a manipulating puke. He should stick to being theresa's cabana boy.