IF you knew Kerry's history you would know that he tried to get a deferment to study in France. Failing that, he enlisted in the navy, which was not expected to see much action. His first tour he was well off shore. Then he volunteered for swiftboats which had a non-combat mission. That got changed quite unexpectedly on him as he himself admitted. Finding himself in combat, he was a chronic complainer and anti-war officer and immediately requested out the instant his third purple heart allowed it. This after 3 months.
I won't deny he did get shot at, but he certainly never planned on it.