[OKSooner]

" Kerry's early departure meant that he was leaving behind a crew that had suffered through many bloody battles with him. Worried that crew members would be killed, he arranged for them to receive a safer assignment. When one crew member, Medeiros, tried to stay, Kerry "came and talked to me and said, `I really would like you to go. ... I'd like to know you are safe, or safer.'"

That's odd too...

[ex 98C MI Dude]

Not really. Kerry had to make sure that he had people that 'owed' him that would attest to his heroism. So of course he got them transfered to cushy billets. Since Steve Gardner had already PCSed to the ZI, he never got paid off to keep quiet. The others had recieved favors from Kerry, and so they have to support him.