[Cboldt]

Don't officials need to approve documents for signing by autopen?

Sort of. They establish a procedure whereby oce the requisite conditions have been met, a document can be autopen signed.

The citations signed by Lehman are most likely "replacement citations," provided at Kerry's request, after a review of the relevant military records indicated that Kerry was entitled to the citation. Requests for replacement medals and citations are routine, and can occur due to loss in fire, loss due to neglect, etc.

Best speculation is that Kerry requested replacement medals for the ones he threw over the fence (BTW, the first set of replacements is free!), and either the medals automatically come with a new citation letter, or Kerry requested both, medal and citation letter, or Kerry's servant just figured the request for replacement ought to "ask for everything he can get."

[ScottFromSpokane]

The citations signed by Lehman are most likely "replacement citations," provided at Kerry's request, after a review of the relevant military records indicated that Kerry was entitled to the citation. Requests for replacement medals and citations are routine, and can occur due to loss in fire, loss due to neglect, etc.

Everything I've heard indicates that replacement citations are simply copied from the original in the files, and are not newly signed.

In any case, the Lehman citation was the third given for the same decoration, with different language from the other two, which I understand is quite unusual.

[atomicpossum]

Best speculation is that Kerry requested replacement medals for the ones he threw over the fence (BTW, the first set of replacements is free!), and either the medals automatically come with a new citation letter, or Kerry requested both, medal and citation letter, or Kerry's servant just figured the request for replacement ought to "ask for everything he can get."

Still, if this is the case, we still haven't seen the original, and who signed it. Did they give us an inaccurate document deliberately?

[Nov3]

Reread the article. This isn't a replacement citation. There is added strong language praising Kerry.

[Bob]

The citations signed by Lehman are most likely "replacement citations," provided at Kerry's request, after a review of the relevant military records indicated that Kerry was entitled to the citation. Requests for replacement medals and citations are routine, and can occur due to loss in fire, loss due to neglect, etc.

The routine procedure for replacement of a citation does not include re-issuing it. A lost or damaged citation is normally replaced with a certified copy of the original.

Issuing a new citation, especially with the original language modified, is way outside of standard operating procedures.

[CT]

I better go get a copy of my local paper - the Oregonian - and see if they are COVERING this!

No,wait. I'll go turn on the TV. Maybe See-BS and NBC are breaking this with a bulleting.

Darn. Guess I'll just have to watch it on my new, FreepTV. Or read about it in a half-million blogs covering it in detail.

[ActiveDutyUSMC]

Copies of military records to include service information, award citations and disciplinary information are stored on microfiche and archived by the Services.

If someone loses their awards, or if the serviceman's record book is destroyed for some reason, a copy of the original document is retrieved from archive and stamped "certified true copy" and signed by an official. A brand-spanking new copy is not generated, nor is the opportunity taken to embellish up the original citation.

In any case, it is stupefying to have three citations signed by three different officers for the same action and award. There is no reasonable explanation for this -- period.

Something is wrong.