SwiftVets.com

coldwarvet

As we remember President Ford on this declared national day of mourning. Why is their very little conversation about President Ford’s pardon of the Vietnam era draft dodgers? As in the Nixon pardon we could debate if the draft dodger pardon was the right or wrong thing to do at the time.

As a post Vietnam era 75’-79’ veteran I watched my elder brothers suffer as they returned home to an unappreciative American public. Over six million Americans served during the Vietnam era. 40,000 of their names etched on a black piece of granite in our Nations capital.

I believe President Ford deserves to be recognized on this day for his service. However, what day was set aside to welcome home the six million that served during the Vietnam era, to remember the names that are now etched on a black piece of granite, and to pray for the MIA & POW. Are they not as deserving to be remembered as President Ford?

Cold War Vet
_________________
Defender of the honor of those in harms way keeping us out of harms way.

"Peace is our Profession"
Strategic Air Command - Motto

USAF 75-79 Security Police

LewWaters · Posted: Tue Jan 02, 2007 8:30 pm Post subject:

Ford didn't give an outright pardon. Returning draft dodgers had to perform some alternate service to gain readmittance. It was a "conditional amnesty."

It was Carter that went further and just granted a pardon to most of them.
_________________
Clark County Conservative

redleg2 · Seaman Recruit Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 21

Yeah, it was Jimmuh Cawtah who pardoned Skerry for his dalliance with the Commie North Viets in Paris.

Fort Campbell · Vice Admiral Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 896

Absolutely. It was Jimmy Carter who granted them total amnesty.

kate · Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 4:25 am Post subject:

over in the R&R forum, in this thread
The Discharge Issue >> Federal Regs, Rules, Orders there are several posts regarding Ford's & Carter's EOs on the subject,
ie this from Ford link

dusty · Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 5:13 am Post subject:

Ford's amnesty for draft dodgers was considered as 'healing the nation'.
To me the nation would have been better served by prosecuting the draft dodgers and some of the people who committed obvious treasonous acts.
Such as John Kerry and Jane Fonda.
That's the sort of healing that would have allowed the nation to come out of the experience stonger as a united people. The way it was done it just perpetrated the division and set the stage for future acts of treason and divisive behavior in times of war for this country.
Now because of the mindset engendered by that lack of moral clarity we have a situation where the leader of the country is hamstrung by politically motivated deceptions to undermine the authority of the elected president by subverting public opinion.
Once the cat was allowed and even rewarded for being out of the bag, there was no putting it back in.
There are several things that I think are causing this country to, as the Commiecrats put it, 'go in the wrong direction' and condoning bad behavior instead of demonstrating that it will not be tolerated is one of them.
I think they call it 'tough love'.
Dusty
_________________
Left and Wrong are the opposite of Right!

BuffaloJack · Posted: Wed Jan 03, 2007 12:21 pm Post subject:

Ford's pardons came with strings, i.e., alternative service.
Ford saw that healing was needed but not a free pass.
It was Dhimmi Carter who gave them carte blanche to commit treason and then obtain amnesty, it also allowed deserters and other with less than honorable servce to get their discharges upgraded.
_________________
Swift Boats - Qui Nhon (12/69-4/70), Cat Lo (4/70-5/70), Vung Tau (5/70-12/71)