Thank you William Tell .. that makes more sense to me
These new citations were rewritten (and re-signed) years after the fact, not re-issued to replace originals - because there is NEVER a reason to change the official record.
Unless you're John Kerry and want your Vietnam history changed!
No, these citations WERE SPECIFICALLY REVISED to make them "sexier" -
There is NO "standard form" for a medal citation like this, because each is written EXPLICITY to honor one action that ONE person or one unit did. They become official documents, and reflect the historical record of the award.
Kerry worked very hard over a period of YEARS to get the Navy dept to REWRITE his awards apparently to make them "sexier" and to get them signed by ever higher and higher officials.
NOT to "replace the medals" - YOU DON'T "replace" citations!
EVER.
Do you go back now to 1927 and add a few homeruns and strikeouts to Ruth;s record, just because you want him to overtake Aaron?
You've said several times that he is merely "replacing" the medals - that is dead wrong! If the paper copy of a citation is lost, you can simply get a new copy! It is a COPY of the original record, and WILL NOT be changed from the original record.
Look, citations are the official record.
If you lose your wedding ring, do you get a new certificate? Nope. You go to the jewelers and get a new ring - and the jeweler doesn't ask to see a wedding certificate to check if it is "legitimate" wedding either! Replacing medals is that simple - besides, Kerry has said many times he has KEPT his original medals - they are in the middle of the shrine in his Senate office!
If your wedding certificate was lost, do you go back to the county clerk and get him to RETYPE and RE-STAMP and RE-SIGN the wedding certificate, changing the place you were wed at so it looks like you got married in a cathedral instead of the Justice of the Peace?