John Kerry enlisted in the U.S Naval Reserves, not the active duty U.S. Navy according to a passage in the book that is dominating the presidential campaign season: John O'Neill's book "Unfit for Command".
That single detail is the most consequential fact to emerge in the midst of the other allegations: that Kerry didn't earn his medals, that he used his medals to get sent home, that he fabricated his testimony to Congress on atrocities and his trip to Cambodia. His enlistment in the Reserves rather than the active Navy is a matter of public record and is either true or not true. The Swiftboat Veterans for Truth have the record.
Why is this seemingly inconsequential detail important to me?
Because Kerry and his supporters have for a year now been besmirching President Bush's service in the National Guard during the Vietnam era as not being honorable. And every time they ridicule the National Guard they ridicule me. I am a veteran of both the active duty U.S. Air Force (8 years) and of the Illinois National Guard (3 years).
In my particular case I was never deployed during my tenure in the Guard but my unit was repeatedly deployed all over the world shortly after I separated. I was ready to deploy and I consider my service to be honorable. I take it as a deeply personal affront every time Kerry or his surrogates imply or directly state that service in the National Guard is less than honorable.
Kerry and his true believers have been drawing direct contrasts to his service and Bush's. They say directly that Bush, a son of privelege, "hid out" in the National Guard to avoid service. By contrast Kerry, a son of privelege, said "Send Me" and enlisted active duty to go to war.
Nice story. But, like the other issues related to his service, the Swifties who served with him have exposed it as a lie. Kerry did not enlist in the Navy knowing that he would be sent. He enlisted in the Naval Reserves not knowing.
To me the National Guard and the Naval Reserves have exactly the same standing. They are both honorable service to our country. And everyone who enlists in the National Guard or in the Naval Reserves know at least two things:
1. You may get deployed to a hostile combat zone at any time
2. You have no control over that decision. You may go. You may not go. It depends on circumstances and on the decisions of politicians and commanders. It doesn't reflect dishonor if you don't get deployed. It doesn't particularly reflect valor if you do get deployed. It's what you signed up for.
Now, I admire the fact that Kerry enlisted in the Naval Reserves. And I do credit him for valor that his unit was, apparently, deployed to a combat zone and that he served there.
The dishonor comes in Kerry's continued trashing of fellow veteran George Bush's service in the National Guard. The allegations by his supporters that Bush "didn't serve" because he got a comfy post in the National Guard. It's not true. It's a particularly ugly and dishonorable accusation.
And in making those allegations about George Bush they personally offend me.
What I want to know is why hasn't this pertinent fact been investigated or reported by the mainstream media?
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