Kerry would not be AWOL because he was following orders. He was not absent, and leave does not enter into it.
He is a lowdown, glory hound who lies and cheats to get ahead. He left his "Brothers in Arms" in the lurch, and slandered them as soon as he got back to "the World".
That should be enough.
I believe that if the claim that Kerry was at the VVAW meeting where they voted on whether to asassinate US Senators is ever proven true, and he did not report it, then he is toast. I think that is the most serious charge and will make people of all walks of life sit up and take notice.