Posted on 10/13/2004 12:54:03 AM PDT by politicket
Edited on 10/13/2004 1:07:27 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
Excerpt:
Mystery Surrounds Kerry's Navy Discharge
BY THOMAS LIPSCOMB - Special to the Sun
October 13, 2004
URL: http://www.nysun.com/article/3107
An official Navy document on Senator Kerry's campaign Web site listed as Mr. Kerry's "Honorable Discharge from the Reserves" opens a door on a well kept secret about his military service.
The document is a form cover letter in the name of the Carter administration's secretary of the Navy, W. Graham Claytor. It describes Mr. Kerry's discharge as being subsequent to the review of "a board of officers." This in it self is unusual. There is nothing about an ordinary honorable discharge action in the Navy that requires a review by a board of officers.
According to the secretary of the Navy's document, the "authority of reference" this board was using in considering Mr. Kerry's record was "Title 10, U.S. Code Section 1162 and 1163. "This section refers to the grounds for involuntary separation from the service. What was being reviewed, then, was Mr. Kerry's involuntary separation from the service. And it couldn't have been an honorable discharge, or there would have been no point in any review at all. The review was likely held to improve Mr. Kerry's status of discharge from a less than honorable discharge to an honorable discharge.
A Kerry campaign spokesman, David Wade, was asked whether Mr. Kerry had ever been a victim of an attempt to deny him an honorable discharge. There has been no response to that inquiry.
The document is dated February 16, 1978. But Mr. Kerry's military commitment began with his six-year enlistment contract with the Navy on February 18, 1966. His commitment should have terminated in 1972. It is highly unlikely that either the man who at that time was a Vietnam Veterans Against the War leader, John Kerry, requested or the Navy accepted an additional six year reserve commitment. And the Claytor document indicates proceedings to reverse a less than honorable discharge that took place sometime prior to February 1978.
The most routine time for Mr. Kerry's discharge would have been at the end of his six-year obligation, in 1972. But how was it most likely to have come about?
Is there any likely innocent explanation for an involuntary separation? Some folks have speculated that this can happen after being passed over for promotion twice. That would be routine if you weren't active.
ping
"I was kinda unhappy that they would break this story on the day of the last debate, but think about it. If Kerry doesn't know exactly what's coming, don't you think it will probably throw him off his game plan for tonight? This is a psyop attack, and it seems to be designed to drip, drip, drip until he cracks. "
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Excellent point!
My speculation would be along the lines of Excuse_me's post in 295 concerning unsatisfactory performance, but I dont know if it would entail taking away personal awards and the like.
BTTT
BUMP
BUMP
BUMP
Let me refine my question. Are sections 1162 and 63 routinely invoked to give honorable separations?
For enlisted men the concept is fairly simple. You do your six years and you're out, obligation is finished. For officers it is more complex. Is it typical for reserve officers to remain under obligation beyond their six years?
Fascinating read, guys....
you do agree that if he has an "Honorable Discharge" that he would display it on his website???...rto
bump
it is up to US to keep this thing alive and to get it into the media.....everyone email to your can't email no more.
I was just tossing out a question for anyone:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1243687/posts?page=36#36
Is this kind of separation routine, or was it a Jimmy ?Carter Special At least one Freeper thinks it has no significance.
My understanding of the statute ( which has been revised since then) is this is not a normal discharge procedure for an officer. Its an involuntary seperation for cause.
It is only done when they want to get rid of someone for performance reasons.
It sure indicates WHY Kerry has refused to sign form 180 to release his military records."Dishonorable Discharge"
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