Buck,

I have read all of your posts on the subject of the candidates' military service.

I realize what it takes to reach flight status. When I state that Bush's assignment was "cushy" I am only referring to the fact that he remained state side and was never under fire. Ever.

IMHO, being "available for assignment" for 2 years, or 4 years, or 6 years, or whatever, does not come close to being shot at overseas for 4 months. I am not comparing the length of the candidates' service, how many days they actually spent on duty, I am simply pointing out that Kerry was overseas and under fire and Bush never was.

Beyond his achieving flight status, I am skeptical that Bush ever did much of anything that was required of him while he was in the Air Guard, again using his family's wealth and privilege to get special treatment. Further, I am skeptical that he actually earned or deserved his honorable discharge, but rather, I tend to suspect that his family and his wealth had a great deal to do with that. And I do not trust the accuracy of his military records for the same reason.

As for Kerry, I already told you that you raise some valid points, and that I am not impressed with him over this, based upon what you have posted regarding his purple hearts, abbreviated tour, and early discharge. Again, I am sure that his family and his wealth had a great deal to do with that, too. It was not until I read your posts that I began to look at it this way, so what you say has not completely fallen on deaf ears.

As for Kerry coming home and protesting the war, alot of people did that, vets and civilians alike. I was young then, but I remember the protests and the division over the war. I have not read or seen everything that Kerry said about the war and the vets, but I believe that whatever he said has largely been taken out of context and spun, and that while he criticized the government and the war, that he was not criticizing the men fighting the war. I believe he was pointing out the horrors of the war in his effort to speak out against it and convince the U.S. to get out of Vietnam, and that what he said was intended to demonstrate those horrors, not to indict his fellow veterans. And I also tend to believe that alot of what he said was true; there were horrible things happening in Vietnam, just as there are always horrible things that happen during any war.

As far as Kerry protesting the war after leaving the military, personally, I do not attach that in any way to his military service. That was a political statement, it was political activism, and has nothing to do with his military service or record, in my estimation. His military service is what he did while he was in the Navy, including the four months he spent in combat, overseas, under enemy fire. Once he got out of the Navy, however he got out of the Navy, for whatever reason he chose to leave the Navy, is a separate and distinct subject. Once he left the military he was entitled to have and express his opinions, just as any other citizen is. He chose to protest the war and to do whatever he could to convince the government to get out of Vietnam.

Throwing away his ribbons and such was done to make a statement. I can appreciate how you might look at that as disrespectful, from your point of view. Personally, if I had been Kerry, I don't think I would have done all of the things he did. I don't think he would do things the same way if he had it to do over. It was a very heated and tense time in this country, emotions ran high, he was young and passionate, and the protests back then were very dramatic. It needs to be viewed in context, IMHO.

I will not condemn him for acting on his convictions on the war. He was certainly not the only vet to do so. I don't think that makes him a poor politician, a poor legislator, or a poor candidate for President; nor do I believe that it taints or detracts from the time he did spend overseas, under fire, serving in the Armed Forces. This is just my opinion. You are certainly entitled to yours. And I am more than happy to agree to disagree with you.

Respectfully,

Jim