SwiftVets.com

[SwanLady]

This is just my little commentary.

John Kerry made service in Viet Nam an issue. He constantly touted his time in Nam, as if that somehow made him qualified to be Commander and Chief. Nevermind the fact that MOST Presidents, including some of the best (Lincoln, Reagan, etc.) never served in the military proper (contrary to lore, Reagan did not serve active duty proper, his eyesight was too poor, but he made training flight films for the military re: http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/handout/Rrmil.htm for more info).

Since Kerry made it an issue, and also called into question Bush's service ("I went to Nam and he didn't"), he's succeeding in alienating retirees who, though in the military during Nam, never set foot on Vietnam's soil.
My husband is one of those men.

His rate was CTT. Retired as a Chief. For those unfamiliar with the CTT community, they were prime captives for our enemies during the Cold War. Hence, many did not get stationed in or near war zone areas like Nam.

I can recall though, before he went TDY, or on cruises, being taken into a closed meeting between the Commander, and the other (few) wives whose husbands shared part in the CTT community, and being cautioned that, should our spouses be captured, or the ship be hit, we can expect to be notified that we will never see them again. I can also recall, quite vividly, being told in pre-deployment and pre-departure briefings, that should a war break out while we're stationed overseas, our spouses will be IMMEDIATELY MOVED to safe zones, while me, and my kids, would get moved to the states as soon as possible, but not with my husband. He would be sent to a place unknown even to us.

During my husband's last deployment (med cruise) I was instructed, because my family lived in the DC area, NOT to mention the ship or location thereof, in calls to Mom and Dad, because of microwave usage by our enemies over and throughout the DC area.

I can also remember, oh so clearly, waking up one morning to a loud banging on the door and being greeted by a Marine toting arms (M-16 maybe, I don't know much about military arms), and being told that I needed to call the school and let them know my children would not be attending school that day and then being asked to make a grocery and other "needs" list to provide us for the next five days. Why? Because there had been a threat (by Khdafy) to blow up bases, and the one we were stationed on was situated near a target base (we were on NAS Pensacola for housing but my husband was a CT instructor on Corey, which was close by and the "target"). I was also told "your husband will be gone for a few days". They secured Corey, thankfully, only for two days. But those two days, I gained a new respect for our Marines. The young men were sent there to ensure that nobody threatened the safety of our family, even though NAS p-cola was a darned secure base as it was.

The point in telling all of this is simply that I, as the wife of a man whose life was in constant "danger" resent the implication by Kerry (and his henchmen) that, unless someone served "in Nam" they were somehow less military, less patriotic, and less important, than those who did go there.

Yes, they gave up a lot. Many died. Many were wounded. Many were brave. BUT KERRY WAS NOT. And how dare he, or any of his supporters, imply that this traitor (and yes, he WAS a traitor) served more nobly simply because he went to Nam.

[HOV1]

Wow!

I never went to RVN (they weren't accepting 14 year olds when the war ended) and spent 6 years active duty in the USN on submarines when I got old enough. I've always felt like a feather merchant because I was never "tested" in battle, and have always been in awe of those of you who have "seen the elephant" and passed muster. This fine lady's words do nothing to lessen my appreciation of our combat vet's service, but they certainly make me feel better about my own.

Thank You
_________________
USN 78-84 STS1(SS) USS George C. Marshall SSBN 654(G)



HOV1

[SwanLady]

[MikeH]