John Kerry's Discharge

American Conservative Union Foundation ^ | October 2004 | Michael Ashbury

[freespirited]

What a young man did more than 30 years ago should not be a primary criteria in determining his qualifications to be President of the United States. George Bush has had almost 4 years now as Commander and Chief of the World"s largest military force and he should be judged on how well he has done. Yet John Kerry and the Democratic left won"t give it up. On almost a daily basis he says I served this country honorably as a young man in Vietnam (4 months/12 days) and I will serve this country honorably as Commander and Chief. Then the Left yells that George Bush got preferential treatment in getting into the National Guard and even failed to complete his guard obligations; even forging documents to prove their point.

The facts are that George Bush served honorably in the National Guard obtaining service points far in excess of the 50 annual service points required to meet his obligation. Records show that in 1968/69 he accumulated 253 points, 340 in 1969/70, 137 in 1970/71, 112 in 1971/72, 56 in 1972/73 and 56 in 1973/74. Points far in excess of the service agreed to and that required to meets his obligation and be Honorably Discharged. George Bush has never made his National Guard service a qualification to lead this country, nor has he ever questioned the service of John Kerry.

While the Left and the mainstream media have never questioned the Vietnam era service of John Kerry, they seem to feel that the record of George Bush 30 years ago should be of concern to voters in November. But what about John Kerry's record? We are told that he was a decorated veteran. We are also told that he was deeply involved in anti-war activities on his return from Vietnam in violation of his oath as an officer in the US Navy. By his own account of his actions and protests, he violated the UCMJ, the Geneva Conventions and the U.S. Code while serving as a Navy officer. Further he met, on two occasions, with North Vietnamese negotiators in 1970 and 1971, while a Reserve Officer, willingly placing himself in violation of Article three, Section three of the U.S. Constitution, which defines treason as "giving aid and comfort" to the enemy in time of warfare.

From here the record of John Kerry becomes unclear and the mainstream press won't demand that John Kerry sign a Department of Defense (DOD) form 180 that would release all of his military records. Records released by his campaign are confusing. There are indications that he was Honorably Discharged on Jan. 3, 1970, Feb 16, 1978, July 13, 1978 and even lately Mar. 12, 2001. Why the confusion on a relatively simple service event. Could it be that John Kerry received a less than honorable discharge in the early 70"s because of his anti-war activities? And then was pardoned for those activities when then President Jimmy Carter on January 21, 1978 ( Proclamation 4483) granted a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all persons who may have committed any offense between August 4, 1964 and March 28, 1973 in violation of the Military Selective Service Act or any rule or regulation promulgated there under.

Did John Kerry request that his service be granted an Honorable Discharge and it was finally granted in 1978? Only a complete release of his military records will show what actually happened during this period. And, to date John Kerry has refused to sign the necessary DOD form 180 which would allow for this release. If the Democratic Party, the media, and the Bush critics are going to demand, as they do on almost a daily basis, that George Bush release all of his records, should they not do the same for John Kerry?

[donozark]

I believe the correct date of Carter's Proclamtion 4483 is January 21,1977, not 1978.

[dr_who_2]

On the bit about purjury. It seems a bit problematic to me for Kerry to get off easy for purjury in front of Congress but not in front of some Navy court of inquiry. Certainly, the law is the law, but you'd think the Navy would send someone to respond to Kerry's testimony (and possibly make countercharges) in front of Congress. Not knowing the circumstances surrounding Kerry's testimony, I'm just guessing about this. But maybe there is some congressional testimony concerning Kerry that's under wraps, eh?

[Tallguy]

The answer here is not to ask the question, but to definitively make the charge. It needs to be stated as a matter of fact that Kerry was less than honorably discharge. Dishonorably discharged even. It should come from friendlies in the media and the GOP.

Al Gore, the King of Campaign Dirty Tricks, would be the first to tell you that it's too early to drop the hammer on the "Dishonorable Discharge" gambit. You need to wait until just 7 to 10 days before the election. Remember the Bush DUI charge?

[22cal]

Bill Clinton is also a certified narcissist. But even at that, he was more grounded in reality than Kerry. 'Nuff said.

[True Republican Patriot]

Rush and Sean should jump on this one! He clearly lists his Honorable Discharge as of 1978, therefore anything which was issued earlier is by definition less than Honorable. The public deserves a truthful answer and nothing less.

[BookaT]

Yeah that makes sense.

Some heavy hitting republican or pundit with air time needs to jsut say flat out,"Kerry was dishonorably discharged."

Punkt! I can hear it now I am not gonna do it, you do it. I am not gonna do it, Hey! lets get Mikey(or Zelly)!

For the love of God get someone to do it. If they are wrong and Kerry gets elected so what.(they are not wrong) The country is done anyway at that point!

HEY ZELL if you are reading one last job as a senator for you. Publicly tell the world J effin Kerry is a disgrace to the uniform and whe asked why tell that snot nosed reporter that J effin Kerry got a dishonorable discharge, thats why!

[Melinda]

Whoops! Typo, that's Berger.

[IceAge]

I agree, someone needs to get this information out. Why can't the leaks be in OUR favor for a change?
The voters need to have all the information about the candidates. Bush signed the 180 and now we need to pepper all the Dems for Kerry to do likewise.

Why can't we start an email and internet drive to make him release all hi info before the next debate?
Anyone have the proper addresses? I'm going to start by sending emails to the networks. HA! Yes, I'm really going to try to bring this out into the open.
Please join me and do what you can.

[PatriotCJC]

I still don't understand these allegations. There is no discharge for an officer. There is a field on the dd214 that references "character of service". His dd214 lists "honorable" and it is a contemporary doc. Not the ones issued during the Clinton administration. Is was a naval officer with the same type of commission as his, and I was never discharged.

[pax_et_bonum]

What arrogance! This man is a narcissist, and should never be allowed to run this country.

One of the most extreme narcissists I've ever seen, too.

[alloysteel]

There are several ways to resign a commission. You may resign at any time after you have completed the full term of service, active and reserve, or any combination of the two, and it will be at the request of the officer. Almost always, this service will be characterized as "honorable". There may be a resignation "for the good of the Service". This is frequently done in lieu of a court-martial, and the service will be listed as "under honorable conditions". Or the officer might not resign a commission, and stay on the inactive reserve until the 65th birthday, at which time the reserve obligation is completely removed and the commission retired.

And then, of course, there is the more brutal way of giving up a commission, which is to have it stripped away by court-martial, be reduced in grade to enlisted rank E-1, and be summarily dishonorably discharged, upon the completion of any term in prison or other penalties.

[Gucho]

A Ho Chi Minh City museum that honors Vietnam war protesters features a photograph of Sen. John Kerry being greeted by the general secretary of the Communist Party, Comrade Do Muoi. Vietnam veteran Bill Lupetti, , a Swift Boat Veteran who currently is visiting Vietnam, took this photograph of a display at a Ho Chi Minh City museum "The Vietnamese communists clearly recognize John Kerry's contributions to their victory," he said. "This find can be compared to the discovery of a painting of Neville Chamberlain hanging in a place of honor in Hitler's Eagle's Nest in 1945." -- Jeffrey M. Epstein of Vietnam Vets for the Truth.

[counterpunch]

Al Gore, the King of Campaign Dirty Tricks, would be the first to tell you that it's too early to drop the hammer on the "Dishonorable Discharge" gambit. You need to wait until just 7 to 10 days before the election.

Well, I'm not talking about timing here, and simply dropping the hammer is not my objective.
Kerry has been hiding from his post-Vietnam record. He has no reason to release the messy details of what happened when he came home. It's not in his interest. The only way to get him to release his records is force him to defend himself with his record by giving him something to lose if he does not. As it stands right now, with nothing to defend against, Kerry can only stand to lose by releasing his records. His hand needs to be forced.

I have no idea on what the right time is to do it, I only know that it must be done. Waiting too long may not give it time to fully ripen, particularly in the MSM. Waiting too long could give Kerry the excuse that there isn't time to release his records now, even saying that Republicans purposely waited until it was too late to process the paperwork so that he couldn't defend against it in time of the election. Then he would just call it a dirty trick and assure people that there was no truth to it and they just need to believe him. I'm sure he would use righteous indignation and anger to try to turn it around on the GOP. Or he could just ignore it and ride it out, knowing the media would downplay it.

My interest in not in smearing Kerry with a last minute charge. I would like to give him ample opportunity to defend himself, if he can. That's just it, I don't think he would be able to.

[boycott]

ping

[Tacis]

Basic thesis is correct. But, Kerry may not have been discharged for treason; that would have required hard time and Kerry was afavored son, a son of privelege, friend of Kennedy and he did have a good, however brief, combat record.

His treason may have been the root cause of his discharge under other than honorable circumstances, but I believe the gov. may have cashiered hime for other reasons. It may have been homosexual activity, use of dope or consorting (even, marrying) a Vietnamese citizen known/found to be a Viet Cong.

Second variation: Carter may not have pardoned Kerry under the terms of Proclamation 4483 but under his basic, Constitutional authority.

Proof, of course, is in the secret file that Kerry is lying about. An honest media would ask, everytime Kerry accuses Bush of being less than candid, why he hasn't released his military file. Kerry is a flaming liar, a triator then and a lying triator now!

I'd still like to see some honest investigator, some one from an honest blog, visit the Office of the Pardon Attorney at the Dept. of Justice and pick up a copy of the file on John Forbes Kerry whose Social Security Number is probably 044-38-3515. (source: Kerry's "Official" miltary records, 17 Dec 1970 "Temporary Appointment," unless, like several other "Official" documents, it's a forgery).

Despite claims of confidentiality, DoJ regulations require disclosure of some/much/most info. surrounding Presidential pardons (even of treason).

[ArmedNReady]

The only discharge Kerry has needs to be checked out by a urologist. Maybe he caught something from brown-nosing out enemies.

[vox humana]

The DD214 (Honorable Discharge) on Kerry's website is a smokescreen. This is the DD214 that Kerry received after he finished Navy Officer Candidate School. While in school you are enlisted (E-5 pay grade). Only after you graduate do you become a commissioned officer. Kerry has never shown a DD214 for his service as an officer. I think we know why.

[wireman]

I hate a smelly discharge!

This one stinks.

[PatriotCJC]

There are two dd214's on his site one for OCS and one for his active duty.

[True Republican Patriot]

Right On! God Bless the Swiftvets for their efforts and Remember that only one boat left the other boats and ran down river that unusual night!Will that same skipper turn and run the first time he comes under fire now?