Navy Reserve VS Air National guard

Townhall.Com ^ | 8/26/04 | Marvin Olasky

[Calusa]

Neither Kerry nor Bush nor I wanted to fight in Vietnam, and we all did what we could in our situations: Naval Reserves (Kerry), Texas Air National Guard (Bush), draft lottery No. 278 (me), which meant immunity from having to serve. In his circumstances, Kerry's choice was smart: Navy or Coast Guard folks were much less likely to see combat service than their counterparts in the Army or Air Force, and the safest Navy spot may have been that of a Naval Reserve officer

[Calusa]

I had a disability and a high draft lottery number. As a Green Card holder I was eligible for the draft. They liked Hispanics especially PR's because with out smaller frames we could fit into the VC's 'spider holes' and tunnels better.

[Spok]

"draft lottery No. 278"

My draft number was 232. Unfortunately, the news came to me during basic training at Fort Lewis. I pointed out to my CO that my enlistment was an error and I should be discharged immediately. He laughed but did not agree.

[syriacus]

Kerry's choice was smart:

Especially since there were fewer American deaths in Vietnam in the years leading up to Kerry's graduation, than there were in the years leading up to Bush's graduation.

I wonder what Kerry would have chosen to do, if he had been looking forward to graduation in 1968 instead of 1966?

VIETNAM WAR (ranking of the years by deaths)

YEAR -- ALL DEATHS

1968 -- 16,869
1969 -- 11,775
1967 -- 11,348 (year before Bush's graduation)
1966 -- 6,333
1970 -- 6,164
1971 -- 2,413
1965 -- 1,926 (year before Kerry's graduation)
1972 had far fewer deaths because US troops were pulled from the field by August

Service in Viet Nam looked much less dangerous when Kerry was deciding what to do when he graduated.

[NYCVirago]

What's relevant now is that George Bush did not receive his party's nomination for what he did over three decades ago, but John Kerry did. That's why we need to get to the bottom of what the swift boat vets are saying.

This says it all.