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RMalloy · PO3 Joined: 23 Aug 2004 Posts: 280

Can someone tell me why the are black boxes on Kerry's citations
for the Purple Hearts and Bronze Star? They are all right after
Kerry's name, what would have been there and why is Kerry blanking it out?
Thanks

rb325th · Admiral Joined: 21 Aug 2004 Posts: 1334

Maybe his Social Security number?
Not sure when the Military went over to SSNs as identifiers, but I would sure block out mine if I were married to that much money.
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U.S. Army 1983-1995, 11C1P/11H2P NBTDT

cipher · Vice Admiral Joined: 10 Aug 2004 Posts: 902

They were the serial number, redacted by the Navy fo comply with the Privacy Act.

It is possible that if the documents were from Kerry's private stash of records, he redacted them himself (or had his butler do it between making peanut butter sandwiches...)

Of note, sometimes they miss one or two. Kerry's serial number is known from several other independent sources, so it's a moot point.
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USMC 69-72, 7th Comm, 3rd MarDiv, FMFPAC
US Army 75-79, 97th Sig, SHAPE, NATO
Arkansas National Guard 79
Defense contractor for US Navy, SSPO, SP-20, SP-24, OP-12 84-92

llano · Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 3:57 am Post subject:

I believe the switch over to SSN began in 1969.
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Home in Lubbock Texas, home of the Vietnam Project at Texas Tech University. A place visited frequently by Navy Chief.

cipher · Vice Admiral Joined: 10 Aug 2004 Posts: 902

Mine wasn't converted until 71/72.

Then again, I was a Marine, and we're always the last to get The Word.
_________________
USMC 69-72, 7th Comm, 3rd MarDiv, FMFPAC
US Army 75-79, 97th Sig, SHAPE, NATO
Arkansas National Guard 79
Defense contractor for US Navy, SSPO, SP-20, SP-24, OP-12 84-92

jwb7605 · Posted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 2:30 pm Post subject:

Dane · Lt.Jg. Joined: 30 Jul 2004 Posts: 114 Location: Chile

I doubt that the old serial numbers are protected under Privacy Act considerations. It´s probably through force of habit on the part of the clerk that released the records. Kind of a mind-numbed automatic action by an overworked clerk that processes thousands of documents each day.

Dane

Van Gibboney · Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 1:27 am Post subject:

I'm pretty sure that the army went to SS numbers the first day of July 1969. I went to the army prior to July 1, 1969 and had a RA #. The reason this sticks in my head was from having to recite my name, rank, service # and SS number after taking off my gas mask in basic training at FT. Cambell,KY. When I found later that recuits after 1 July had one less thing to say, I remenber thinking how much quicker I would have been able to get out of there.

Funny how somethings stick in your head after all these years.
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HARDHEAD