Mystery Surrounds Kerry's (Dishonorable ?) Navy Discharge

New York Sun ^ | 13 Oct 2004 | THOMAS LIPSCOMB

[Mark 42]

Mystery Surrounds Kerry's Navy Discharge

BY THOMAS LIPSCOMB - Special to the Sun October 13, 2004

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.

[fideist]

Thanks for reposting this. I only check in once a day, and missed all the other times it was posted.

Thanks again.

[Jack Bull]

What about getting all Freepers to fax form 180's to Kerry's offices and media offices in their home states?
If Kerry were a car, we'd get the complete service record. It's law. You'd think we'd get the samer or better from a guy who wants to lead the most powerful military on Earth.

[foofoopowder]

I doubt it will be on the front page of NY Times. However, look at today's (10/22/04) online issue of federalist.com Feature article is about Kerry's dishonorable discharge.