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OLIPHANT IN COMING BOSTON GLOBE: 'I was 4 or 5 feet behind John Kerry. I watched Kerry reach with his right hand into the breast pocket of his fatigue shirt. The hand emerged with several of the ribbons....... Kerry had arrived here with only the ribbons he wore on his shirt... Why did he reach into his pocket to get the ribbons he wore on his shirt?

Being a retired member of the US Navy with 24 years of active service, I can tell ribbons and medals are identical, that is, if you have a National Defense Medal for service rendered during the Vietnam Era you also are entitled to wear the National Defense Ribbon. The reason ribbons are worn instead of medals is a matter of practicality, ribbons are worn on a day to day basis (thus the term "working ribbons") where the medals are worn during formal occassions, like during inspections or change of command ceremonies. There is no difference in the level of prestige, significance or importance in a medal or a ribbon. If Kerry threw his ribbons over the fence, he still also threw the medals over the fence because the ribbons and the medals are the exact same thing based on the fact they signify the exact same thing. Kerry throwing them over the fence symbolized he hated what they stood for. I take that as, "I hate my country big time". I believe Kerry anyday over that 'closet queen', the snooty and elite Mr. Snoberific Oil-E-Pants. Kerry confessed to throwing his medals over the fence years ago. It's on tape so why shouldn't we all believe him. Let's all admit it, Kerry went to Vietnam so he could come back home with PT109 John Kennedy credentials. Vietnam to Kerry was only a springboard to political office, nothing else. Punk opportunists with political ties to the corrupt Kennedy's.

Why did he reach into his pocket to get the ribbons he wore on his shirt?

You know what we need? A photo AFTER the ribbon toss in which you can see the front of his shirt. Somebody, somewhere, has that photo.