Questions for all of our vets on here.....

[sunset]

As a veteran do you find it good or bad or indifferent when Kerry speaks of his military service, and all that he did in Vietnam? From your point of view does it honor you as a veteran? Or..not?

[bob d]

i think it is a slap in the face to all veterans . i never saw any action nothing happening when i was in but he still irks me

[Coastie]

If Kerry had made it known that he was a Viet Nam Veteran and left it at that I would have respected him for his service. Since he seems to have made it the only thing he has done in his lifetime to qualify him for the position as commander in chief of our armed forces and a leader in the free world I find it, at best anoying and at worst, an insult. There were 3.5 million others that served with as much or more distinction than did he during this time and only a few seem to find that as extrordinary enough to qualify them for anything.
He receieved a Bronze Star for delivering the coup de grace to some gook that had been lit up by .50 cal rounds, placing his entire command at risk for nothing. My brother on the other hand, received a Bronze Star with Combat "V" for holding down an estimated company of VC for over an hour with a hog 60 until a snake could get in to provide enough support so his platoon could boogey. Is my brother qualified to be POTUS?
Kerry recieved three Purple Hearts at least one of which is possibly from a self inflicted wound under questionable circumstances and the other two under circumstances yet to be defined. Does that make him material to be the president? Again, my brother recieved a Purple Heart when the guy walking point tripped a booby trap.He carries pieces of shrapnell until this day besides having the occaisional bout of malaria from his service, do these thingsmake him presidential material?
In September of 1968, my Electronics School class on Governors Island N.Y was asked for volunteers for Viet Nam, we volunteered to a man. One man was selected. Stanley C. Willis was sent to Loran "C" Station, Consan Viet Nam. I and the rest of the class were sent to various Loran Stations around the world. In Febrary of 1969 we received word that Stan had been killed by "Charley" near Consan. Consan was not considered to be in the combat zone at that time. Stan's name does not even appear on "The Wall" to this day. Would he have been presidential material?
Kerry weaseled out of the remainder of his service in Viet Nam by using a hardly known regulation allowing anyone with three Purple Hearts to be relieved of further combat duty and went on to serve in a staff function until his discharge. From there he joined up with the Viet Nam Veterans against the war and Hanoi Jane.
In my estimation, he is a disgrace to the uniform he wore and to every other man and woman who has served our nation since the revolution. Even Clinton showed more class than this gutless wonder.

[ReddOak]

I really don't have all that many problems with Kerry's service in Vietnam. He did actually volunteer for swift boat service and would have had to have been living in a cave to think that was not a dangerous asignment. Officers have tended to get medals for stuff that would have got an enlisted man a pat on the head. Also they give out Purple Hearts for anything from a scratch to getting killed. Lastly I have heard of the 3 times wounded before and until this campaign it was not some "little known regulation".

My problem with Kerry stems from the fact that while he was running around protesting he was a Naval Reserve Officer. He was no longer on active duty but he had not been discharged from the service. Also in my mind much more important is his voting record on military matters. That speaks for itself.

[Coastie]

ReddOak, You may very well be correct about the three Purple Hearts rule, but during 26 years of active and reserve duty I never heard of it. On the other hand there are many regulations I have never heard.

[Larry Martin]

Kerry

Unlike the majority of conservatives that want to be judgmental over Mr. Kerry protesting the Vietnam War after returning home, he without question earned the right to do so. Junior Bush on the other hand took the safe way out during this time and entered the National Guard and became a drunk.

[rickill]

yeah but he didnt swallow!!

bob d -- coastie im in your camp boys--somethin i dont know what i dont like i dont trust him
he is a military man when its convienient for him
i dont think he has the CAHONES to do the job
gw at least hes got the balls to make the decision -- be it right or wrong
its better than doing nothing!!!
rp vn 71-2

[James B]

KERRY is the definition of the word HYPOCRIT. He was running around bashing his country while some of us were still involved in that conflict. Bush as well as a lot of my friends joined the National Guard. It was an option that many chose. I respect that enen though I went for the whole term. Many young men spent that time getting drunk as did many of us who were serving. It kind of goes with being that age. Kerry is a low life lieing worm in my opinion. He is about the last person alive that I would vote for.

[bigbulls]

I find Kerry absolutely a discrace to all honorable vets.

I was watching a debate last night and they showed an interview of him after he returned home. He openly admitted to commiting war crimes of murdering and burning down homes of noncombative people while in Vietnam. Why he was not dishonorably discharged for this is beyond me. He should have never been able to be in a political position of any kind.

I also feel that in light of these war crimes he should be disallowed from running for president of the United States or any other political position in the future.

..............he without question earned the right to do so.

After seeing that interview of him I have to disagree with that statement 100%. As far as I am concerned he didn't earn the right to piss in the same bathroom as me.

[driftrider]

Junior Bush on the other hand took the safe way out during this time and entered the National Guard and became a drunk.

Yeah, cause there's absolutely no risk whatsoever flying fighter jets for a living. What really pisses me off is when people like Larry, who had to be DRAFTED into service rather than volunteering to serve like Mr. Bush did, regardless of capacity start accusing those who honorably served or serve in the (Air) National Guard. Just because one doesn't get sent into combat doesn't mean that the service is any less honorable. Accusing a person of cowardice for volunteering to join the National Guard is no differ than if I were to accuse you of cowardice for not volunteering and instead being drafted. In fact, I have more respect for someone who volunteers to do a very dangerous job and never gets sent to combat than one who must be forced to serve and winds up in the s**t. Flying fighter jets is a difficult and dangerous job, and that's before people start shooting at you. If you'll recall, President Bush released his military records a few months back and they indicated that he met the obligations of his commission and commitment to service and was discharged honorably. And after he finished his service he didn't run off, while still an officer in the military, and betray his comrads in arms who had to continue to fight and die by the hands of an enemy motivated by Kerry's actions. I call that treason.

Kerry weaseled his way out of combat and then, while still a Naval Officer, betrayed his country and his fellow troops by acting with the likes of Hanoi Jane Fonda to provide aid and comfort to our enemy. I wonder just how many of our men died because the enemy heard John Kerry's voice as a rallying cry. There was even a NVA general (somebody help me out with the guys name, as I can't find it) that said something to the effect that if it weren't for John Kerry and people like him in the U.S., Hanoi would have likely been driven into surrender.

Kerry is a hypocrit and a traitor and is completely unfit to serve as dog catcher, let alone as the C-in-C of the very military he betrayed and despises so much. Kerry is only bragging up his military record to distract ignorant voters away from the real John Kerry. It's nothing more than a smoke screen to hide the type of man he really is, and the sad and pathetic thing is that there are people in this country that will buy his BS. John Kerry squandered any honor he had earned from his military service the day he shook Hanoi Janes hand.

Another thing that really kills me about John Kerry, and expecially the liberals who worship him, is how they they can accuse Bush of lying to the us with a straight face while completely disregarding the fact that John Kerry's entire political career is built out of nothing but lies and hypocrisy. If Bush is a liar, then Kerry is the Father of Lies incarnate by comparison.

Mike