Military records support Kerry's account of Vietnam service

[Zorra]

Military records support Kerry's account of Vietnam service
BY Joseph L. Galloway
Knight Ridder
Posted on Fri, Aug. 20, 2004

Kerry released a stack of his military records - including after-action reports, citations for his medals, boat battle damage reports and his officer efficiency reports. These records - and the military records of at least one of his accusers - cast serious doubt on some of the more inflammatory charges raised by the group.
snip-----
Elliott added: "(Kerry) emerges as the acknowledged leader in his peer group." In 16 categories on Kerry's officer efficiency report, ranging from professional knowledge to moral courage to military bearing to reliability, Elliott gave Kerry the highest possible rating - "is not exceeded" - in 11 categories, and the second highest, "one of the top 10" in five other categories.
snip------
Thurlow said that although one of the Swift boats was disabled by a mine explosion, there was no enemy fire from shore, as Kerry and others testified, and that Kerry's account was "a total fabrication." Thurlow said in an affidavit: "I never heard a shot."

However, a citation for the Bronze Star with valor awarded to Thurlow for that same mission stated that his actions "took place under constant enemy small arms fire which (Thurlow) completely ignored" while he provided assistance to the damaged Swift boat and the wounded aboard.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/9455159.htm

[NMDemDist2]

1. yep, they are stinkin up the joint

the bastids

[yardwork]

2. Where are Georgie's military records????

Come on Georgie, don't be shy. We know you have your report card hidden in there somewhere. Bring it on out.....

[Zorra]

5. This is interesting, claims it proves Bu$h is a Deserter::

Very detailed and comprehensive.

DESERTER
THE STORY OF GEORGE W. BUSH AFTER HE QUIT THE TEXAS AIR NATIONAL GUARD

An examination of the Bush military files within the context of US Statutory Law, Department of Defense regulations, and Air Force policies and procedures of that era lead to a single conclusion: George W. Bush was considered a deserter by the United States Air Force.

After Bush quit TXANG, he still had nine months of his six-year military commitment left to serve. As a result, Bush became a member of the Air Force Reserves and was transferred to the authority of the Air Reserve Personnel Center (ARPC) in Denver, Colorado. Because this was supposed to be a temporary assignment, ARPC had to review Bush’s records to determine where he should ultimately be assigned. That examination would have led to three conclusions: That Bush had “failed to satisfactorily participate” as defined by United States law and Air Force policy, that TXANG could not account for Bush’s actions for an entire year, and that Bush’s medical records were not up to date. Regardless of what actions ARPC contemplated when reviewing Bush’s records, all options required that Bush be certified as physically fit to serve, or as unfit to serve. ARPC thus had to order Bush to get a physical examination, for which Bush did not show up. ARPC then designated Bush as AWOL and a “non-locatee” (i.e. a deserter) who had failed to satisfactorily participate in TXANG, and certified him for immediate induction through his local draft board. Once the Houston draft board got wind of the situation, strings were pulled; and documents were generated which directly contradict Air Force policy, and which were inconsistent with the rest of the records released by the White House.
snip------------------------
What is relevant is Bush’s continued lies about his service, and his insistence upon presenting his service in the US Military as “honorable”. It was not. Bush simply blew off his last two years of required service, and was able to get away with it because he came from a politically influential family.

There is no other explanation for Bush’s records. None.

http://www.glcq.com/bush_at_arpc1.htm

[GoddessOfGuinness]

7. AWOL = felony...

Since the president of the United States cannot be a convicted felon; if we put the bastard on trial and convict him; we ought to be able to roll back every foul stinkin' piece of legislation he's signed.

[SilasSoule]

3. I've got some freep at another board saying that Kerry

never signed a "Form 180". Apparently this form authorizes the release of ANY & ALL military records to any requesting party and until he does, the swiftscum are right and Kerry is lying...LOL. Any vet have information on this

Here's a snippet of his beef.


This is were we can help the Senator:

If ever John Kerry needed to do a '180,' it's NOW.

We need to help out John Kerry. We need to join forces and help him do a 180, as in Standard Form 180 -- the form used to authorize the release of military records. Let's send John Kerry his 180.

All he has to do is sign it and his records will be released, quickly showing who is lying and who is telling the truth.

Welcome to our online military personnel records request system.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

6. Ask him when George Bush will release the records that explain

why he missed his flight physical.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. I'm not sure that Kerry has anything else to release...link to website....

<http://www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/military_records.html>

If there is anything left out, I'd be pretty surprised.

In the meantime, ask the Freep when FratBoy intends to release ALL of his records. Tell him that FratBoy better hurry and get them out before somebody else does it for him real soon.

[SilasSoule]

11. Good Point, That looks like a fairly thourough list

Makes me wonder what they're fishing for though.

[oneighty]

10. Yes there is a form 180 Kerry could sign

Bush* could also sign a form 180.

Kerry was in Vietnam. Bush* was not in Vietnam.

180

[shockingelk]

12. AFIK ...

Form 180 is what you fill out any time you request copies of your records.

I've heard it spoken of as if it would allow everybody to see all Kerry's records.

When people mention Form 180, I've found you can point them to the fact Kerry's service records are on his website, http://www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/military_records.html and ask them what else they would like to see. There's nothing they can say other that "proof that what he's saying is a lie" or repeat something they already said ... in which case you can point out that they're being very boring.

The records they're looking for are there, on Kerry's site. Form 180 talk is just an admission that nothing will satisfy.

[RamboLiberal]

4. Did Kerry's Boat Self-Inflict its wounds too?

From posted article.

Kerry's account that a second mine explosion damaged his boat, PCF-94, and blew an Army Special Forces officer, Jim Rassmann, overboard. Kerry's Bronze Star was awarded for his rescue of Rassmann, who credited Kerry with saving his life.

Among the records was a battle damage report filed the following day, March 14, which stated that PCF-94 had three windows blown out, radios and radar inoperable, the boat's auxiliary generator inoperable, screws curled and chipped, aft helm steerage control not working. The boat was judged incapable of executing patrols without repairs.

[democrat in Tallahassee]

9. guess the boat wanted a medal, too

[shraby]

13. They'll probably say that

Kerry did the damage to the boat himself to prove that there was gunfire that day because he had a plan to follow in order to become president and if the boat didn't receive any damage in all that gunfire they say wasn't there, he could never become president because he didn't follow his plan and besides that, he probably pushed Rasmussen overboard so he could rescue him because that was part of his plan because he wanted to be president 35 years in the future and one of the shrapnel wounds he received was from the bullets bouncing off his own boat when he shot it up so it would look like there was heavy fire that day.

[enigmatic]

14. And they'll be tap-dancing like Fred Astaire while doing so..

Seriously, the floodgates have opened; the swiftys are ovah.