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Home Front: Politix
Kerry AWOL TWO YEARS from Naval Reserves?
2004-09-05
Posted by:.com

#17  Oops. See III. Non-Judical Punishment 815 15
Posted by: GK   2004-09-06 12:49:03 AM  

#16  Not exactly true,CS. Remember the LTC who scared the shit out of Iraqi policeman for complicity in a planned ambush of the Col's men? He received a fine, of I believe, one month's pay by summary judgement from his Commanding General. Here's the relative authority under the UCMJ: http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/ucmj.htm#SUBCHAPTER%20III.%20NON-JUDICIAL%20PUNISHMENT
Posted by: GK   2004-09-06 12:41:36 AM  

#15  It is my understanding (I was not in the military so I cannot testify to this) Kerry was moved to 'Inactive' but not standby. This is from 'Unfit for Command':

3 Jan 1970 - Released from Active Duty, transferred to Naval Reserve (inactive)

1 Jul 1972 - Transferred to Standby Reserve

15 Feb 1978 - Honorable discharge
Posted by: CrazyFool   2004-09-06 12:21:26 AM  

#14  Someone would have come forward with that info by now (about a courts martial). Same thing if Bush had been punished. Too many clerks, lawyers, admin people to keep something like this quiet. BTW it's my understanding that officer can't have a summary courts martial. They have to go to a general or a special courts martial. Summary is just for elisted folks.
Posted by: Cyber Sarge   2004-09-06 12:05:30 AM  

#13  Two kinds of Courts Martial, Summary and General.
If offered a Summary Courts Martial for a lesser charge, much like a plea bargain, versus a General Courts Martial when the Mil Prosecutor wasn't totally certain of his case, or just the case load, that could account for the lack of publicity / common knowledge.

I personally know of a guy who was charged with a crime regarding [*deleted*] - and they offered him a Summary and it was sealed. He was given a General Discharge, however - that's pretty common in the plea deals. Kerry got an Honorable - his DD-214 is out there.

I dunno, just thinking out loud and recalling the tenure of the times.
Posted by: .com   2004-09-05 10:50:51 PM  

#12  I'm pretty sure a court martial would have been BIG news back in the day. Remember, Kerry was a big cheese in the anti-American, er, anti-War movement, and if the military had tried to hold him accountable for his crimes, he would have run to the press ASAP.
Posted by: Robert Crawford   2004-09-05 10:40:04 PM  

#11  CS - Now that would be Game, Set, Match, lol!
Posted by: .com   2004-09-05 10:39:59 PM  

#10  I saw this notion on another site and thought it worth a speculation or two. The two years in question could be clarified if Kerry would release all his records. He won't because...

wait for it

he was courtmartialed during that time.
Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2004-09-05 10:36:03 PM  

#9  If Kerry were to drop, the Donks would have to meet the ballot requirements in each of the 50 states for a replacement candidate. The Federal govt and the Supreme Court would not be involved (at least initially), because getting on the ballot is a state affair, not a federal one. For some states, the Toricelli option would be easy -- Kerry officially drops, and the state Dems select the new candidate (whoever the national party tells them to list). In other states it would be more difficult.

But always remember: being on the ballot is a matter for the states, not the feds, to decide.
Posted by: Steve White   2004-09-05 10:29:28 PM  

#8  If Kerry gets into deep doo-doo and withdraws (remote chance, IMHO) the replacement at the last minute will make the dems look like total asses and Bush can run on his record and on the fact that the Dems cannot get their manure together to even run a viable candidate. I think that Kerry will run this mule until it drops. Remember that this is his obsessive life's ambition. And I do not think that he will lose gracefully, like Nixon did when he was beaten by JFKennedy.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2004-09-05 9:22:20 PM  

#7  Old Spook:

There is no question in my mind Kerry is a line-crosser. The question is what is the government going to do about it?

BidEd:

Were Kerry to drop out before November, he spares his party the embarassment of a super-landslide in November. The downside for the left is the election is Bush's. Bush can't claim a mandate, the left will argue, and we will have more of the same from the left as in the last four years.

And as someone pointed out yesterday: this ain't New Jersey. You can't just quit and expect a replacement to come in in the spur of the moment.

I can see how Kerry would want to quit early if the heat from his past gets too great. And I can see a court-induced attempt by the left to supplant Kerry's candidacy with some other candidate; but the left still has to blow this one by the supremes. I doubt they will go for it.
Posted by: badanov   2004-09-05 9:03:55 PM  

#6  The document at the website does show a relese to "Inactive Duty" and "into the Naval Reserve"

If he was truly inactive in the Navy equivalent to the "Individual Ready Reserve", its plausible that Kerry may not have had any drill requirements.

I want to see more info before I made a decision on this. Hard evidence. Kerry should sign his SF180 and simply end all this crap.

However it does raise issues about his actions protesting, and visiting Paris while still holding a Reserve Naval Officer's comission. That oath to "Uphold and Defend" doesnt go away.
Posted by: OldSpook   2004-09-05 8:51:03 PM  

#5  Consider the pandemonium at DonkeyKong HQ.

All of these charges are comiing so fast an furious that Kerry may be forced to withdraw. The closer that happens before the election, the more "interesting" it becomes. That is because of the fact that each state prints ballots with the candidates names on individual schedules. The later the withdrawal, the more the confusion because more ballots cannot be changed. I can just see the DNC using some of Kerry's allottable campaign $ to try to explain the electoral college, and why their folks have to vote for "Kerry" even though he isn't running anymore.

It reminds me of the Sheriff election here in Los Angeles County CA in 2000 where the incumbent died two days before the election, and the county board of supervisors actually encouraged a vote for a dead man, because they felt they could choose a better replacement than the challenger.

Lee Baca was elected anyway, and is supporting President Bush, by the way. . .
Posted by: BigEd   2004-09-05 8:48:37 PM  

#4  Boo?
Posted by: .com   2004-09-05 8:24:11 PM  

#3  Damn you, people! Haven't you heard! Bill Clinton's in the hospital! He may need heart surgery! This planet has ceased to spin until THAT situation has been resolved, as far as we're concerned!
Posted by: Your Friends At The MSM   2004-09-05 8:22:11 PM  

#2  There are more SBVT torpedoes ahead. Kerry's Service Record, posted on his web site show his status as active in Naval Reserve. During which time, he had three unauthorized meetings with the Viet Cong leadership in Paris, conducted antiwar activities, and testified in Congress.
Posted by: Capt America   2004-09-05 8:17:07 PM  

#1  Can't want to see this covered in the MSM.

Think I should hold my breath?
Posted by: CrazyFool   2004-09-05 8:02:33 PM  

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