4 year hitches are typical for us elnlisted pukes. Academy grads are different. Kery was neither. He was smart.
I left the Marines after six years and immediately got my Honorable Discharge. Everybody I know who left the service honorably got their Honorable Discharge immediately. Kerry left the service in 1972 and got his "Honorable Discharge" in 1978.... What took six friggin' years?? It's such an obvious question, I cannot believe that after all Kerry's Senate runs and his Presidential campaign, nobody has the answer in 2006.
It staggers the mind. I certainly understand chuckles' frustration.