“his Form 180”
What would Kerry’s Form 180 specifically show? That he got a medal from a minor injury, or something to that effect?
The SF-180 is merely the permission to release one's records. The individual may choose to release only selected records, or release records only to one or a few individuals, release all the records, release the records to the general public, or some combination. Kerry chose to release his records to a few friendly reporters from the Boston Globe and LA Times. No reports other than "Nothing new to see" were ever issued based on reviewing the records.
As to what the records might show, who knows. I speculate that whatever they would reveal must not be particularly flattering, or J F'n K would have released them to the public. They generally tend to make rather boring reading. Mine certainly would.
Some have speculated there might be a less than honorable discharge from the Navy reserve hiding in there somewhere. Or maybe just "charges" which were dismissed, "for the good of the Navy". All based on his collaboration with the Enemy, the North Vietnamese and their southern stooges, in Paris. But of course until the records are released, it's all speculation. Speculation I tend to doubt, because some clerk or administrative officer somewhere would have blabbed by now. Still there must be something, one doesn't hide the normal adminitrivia that such records generally contain.