[atomic_dog]

I agree that Kerry would not have received a dishonorable without a GCM. However, the Navy has a little known procedure for "bottom blowing" nonperforming officers. It is in some OPNAVINST whose number I do not have at hand but could look up.

Basically, they convene a board of 3 officers, 1 CAPT others the others CDR or above and 1 must be from the officers warfare community (e.g. Airedales can't decide on bubble-heads alone).

They hear the facts and can get rid of an officer for such things as "Failure to maintain standards of decorum." They can assign a Honorable, General under honorable conditions and General other than honorable conditions discharge. The proceedings are not public and not disclosed on DD-214N.

However, if the decision was appealed to the Board for Correction of Naval Records or some other board the paperwork would exist in the file.

This would account for the discharge cover letter that references a "board of officers," the date of the discharge and the fact that he will absolutely not release 100+ pages of his file.

[nikos1121]

Let's keep this line going. Someone restart it periodically over the next 24 hours, as I think this is the single most important issue still unresolved about Kerry's military record.

nick

[MACVSOG68]

I agree with you completely. It was likely he was released under an honorable or general discharge, and it was the actual reason that is being withheld by Kerry.