Kerry allows Navy release of military, medical records (Navy provided them to Boston Globe)

boston Globe ^ | June 7, 2005 | Michael Kranish

[FairOpinion]

Senator John F. Kerry, ending at least two years of refusal, has waived privacy restrictions and authorized the release of his full military and medical records.

The records, which the Navy Personnel Command provided to the Globe, are mostly a duplication of what Kerry released during his 2004 campaign for president, including numerous commendations from commanding officers who later criticized Kerry's Vietnam service.

The lack of any substantive new material about Kerry's military career in the documents raises the question of why Kerry refused for so long to waive privacy restrictions.

[anniegetyourgun]

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if the Globe paid him for some document access. More tabloid journalism, perhaps?

[bmwcyle]

What is at the bottom of the DD-214?

[Liberty Valance]

Je should have given them to the Boston Herald.

[NerdDad]

You know, I've never understood this stuff. I separated from the USAF in Dec 1984 after 2 terms. A couple months after my separation I received a package in the mail containing my complete original personnel record. I have no doubt that there are microfiched copies somewhere in USAF archives but I have the entire original file.

I would never consider running for any elected office but if I were to do so, I could hand any inquiring journalist my entire military record at my whim.

[mystery-ak]

This is BS...just last week F180 was signed and laying on Kerry's desk...this week, a matter of days..it was sent in, documents returned to Kerry, and Kerry releases them to Globe....folks, it just doesn't happen this fast...he may be a VIP, but it would still take longer than a week for Kerry to get these docs.

[pabianice]

So... what's the explanation of his being discharged from the Navy six years late (1978 vs. 1972)? Oh. I guess he hasn't released ALL his records, has he?

[MJY1288]

That's fine, just don't ever run for public office

[StrangerInParadise]

So glad you approve/sarc

[tobyhill]

I would bet that the coding at the bottom of the DD-214 is separation for cause with no reenlistment. He may have received an honorable discharge based on a technicality. The Boston Globe needs to show the public not just tell them about it.

[jennyjenny]

That's fine for you. Make it clear upfront you're not going to release and stick to it. Kerry said he would. He hasn't. He is a liar.

[LibertyJihad]

That was also my understanding of a form 180. It authorizes the release of all records to individuals so requesting ..... not just to the Boston Globe. That was the basis of all the FOIA lawsuits by media outlets to obtain information regarding Bush's NG service. Bush signed a 180, and after that, the media had a "right" to all of his military records.

Let's tap the breaks before we assume Kerry signed a blanket 180.

[dirtboy]

I think he waited until after he sent in Sandy Berger to stuff the incriminating ones into his shoes and pants and remove them from the records.

I think there are problems in the records - but by staging this so that the Kerry-friendly Globe does the initial sanitized reporting, any subsequent revelations can be dismissed by the MSM as fabrications by the right-wingers.

[tobyhill]

"The lack of any substantive new material"

Is there no new material or is there new material the BG figures is not substantive?

[lugsoul]

Of course. That's why the calls to sign the 180 were pointless posturing. It was inevitable that, if and when he signed it, those who had been calling for his records would claim that they had somehow been sanitized.

Is there anything short of a document indicating that Kerry had been dishonorably discharged that would lead you to believe that the entire file had been produced?

[CharlieOK1]

vs

[Osage Orange]

If the Sheeple ever...see all Johnny Heinz's military records...I will say something nice about Hillary.

[television is just wrong]

Probably means what is left after they deleted the bad stuff.

[tobyhill]

Any finding of an original Dishonorable Discharge could be hard to find if a military judge or high ranking officer ordered the discharge changed and all records leading to the original discharge be permanently removed from the individual's file. The missing files may have even come as a surprise to Kerry himself or it may have been part of the agreement that Kerry will leave the military, without a fight, if he received an honorable and all negative records removed from his file?

[CFC__VRWC]

"On May 20, Kerry signed a document called Standard Form 180, authorizing the Navy to send an ''undeleted" copy of his ''complete military service record and medical record" to the Globe. "

If they're implying that this data dump is the result of Kerry signing his 180, that's bullcrap. When dealing with the NMPC, which keeps all military records, you're normally talking months to process any request. And we're supposed to believe they turned this one around in about two weeks?

Kerry's scamming us yet again, and the Globe probably knows this is a scam, but figures that yet again they can pull one off on us dumb sheep.

[Sthitch]

I am going to have nightmares about that picture. He looks like someone crossed a picture of Lurch and a piranha.