SwiftVets.com

[gkdechow]

jfk (as opposed to JFK-Kennedy) served 2 tours in Viet Nam (even if his only contact with Viet Nameese soil on his first tour was, by his own claim, his brave and vallient vollenteer mission to "go behind enemy lines" and provide valuable intelligence on the "girlie Bars" in da Nang) while Dick Cheney enjoyed 5 "deferments".

I wonder what Mr Kerry's draft status was in 1962 throuugh 1966 while he was at Yale. I think I remember mine being 2-S, which I, for some reason, still think of as a "DEFFERMENT".

[Stevie]

now, don't jump to conclusions.... he might be one of those 'special people' who DIDN'T NEED A DEFERMENT to stay in school and not be drafted.... unlike all those others who had to have a deferment ....

the miltary wouldn't dare require this of him, would they? Didn't they know who he would be someday?????
.... his last deferment (to study in FRANCE for a year) was denied....

then he enlisted....
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

[buffman]

I am under the assumption Kerry had 4 deferments before the last one was denied. Does anyone know that this is the truth?
_________________
Never Ever Give Up
America First

[CTW]

I have asked the same question and hope someone has dug up the answer so we know the truth. Thanks. CTW

Never Ever Kerry

[jimlarsen]

I don't think you had to get a new deferment for each year. Here's an interesting discussion on deferments for Cheney vs. Kerry.

[Arty Guy]

It is also my understanding that Kerry received four deferments. His fifth request, so he could go study in France (any surprise there), was turned down and that was when he got into the Navy reserves. Another fortunate son.

[Stevie]

I think you had to get one each year, which would be why Cheney had 5... I for each year of school and 1 for becoming a parent

which would also be the reason Kerry should have had 4 with his 5th being denied (to study in Paris)

in case you weren't alive back then or were to young to know, that was a

legal and acceptable reason to get a deferment - having a baby .... dads were needed at home to help mom and take care of the baby and be the breadwinner for the family
_________________
Stevie
Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should
be arrested, exiled or hanged.

[Paul Woll]

I concur that is what I have read in several blog sights. 4 and his 5th was for studying in France. (His favorite home).

[Bob Chamberlain]

Student deferments (2-S) were granted for a year, so John Kerry must have gotten 4 deferments for his undergraduate studies at Yale - that is unless he had someone covering for him at his local draft board. There were no lottery numbers back then. Each draft board (Kerry's was #59 in Newburyport, MA) maintained a pool of available men classified as 1-A and drafted as many of the men in this pool as required to fill their quota for the year. Each male had to regiater at age 18 and remained in the pool until age 26. Each draft board selected their "victims" pretty much as they saw fit, although there were some general guidelines that they followed. For instance, they tended to draft older men first. In any case, it was the perceived "arbitrary" nature of the draft boards that led to the introduction of the lottery in 1969 for the calendar year 1970. There were only 82,060 men inducted in 1962, but the number rose to 230,991 in 1965 and 382,010 in 1966. I think it is highly unlikely that John Kerry trusted to luck and allowed his classification to remain 1-A for the four years he was at Yale. He almost certainly had four 2-S deferments.

However, Selective Service Classification Records are open to the public. No SF-180 is required. I have requested a copy of Kerry's classification record, just to be sure. So far, no response. In all honesty, I will be surprised if I get one before November 2.
_________________
Bob

Useful anti-Kerry campaign material at:
http://www.betrayed-vietnam-vet.info

[Bob Chamberlain]

Selective service came through!! A whole lot faster than I had expected. Kerry did get several student deferments (2-S).

Details:

"The National Archives and Records Administration has located Mr. Kerry's official Agency record; it is enclosed. Mr. Kerry registered with Selective Service on December 11, 1961, at Local Board #7 in Concord, New Hampshire. He was given Selective Service Number 19-59-43-209. Mr. Kerry was classified "2-S" (Registrant deferred because of activity in study) on May 26, 1964, and was subsequently awarded this deferment four more times, through April 5, 1966. On April 6, 1966, he was reclassified "1-D" (Member of a Reserve Component). He was separated from active duty on March 1, 1970, and was reclassified "4-A" (Registrant who has completed service) on April 29, 1970. This was the last action taken by Selective Service concerning him."

Actually, I don't think this letter is completely accurate. They also sent me a photocopy of the page from local board #59 that has John Kerry's record. It appears that the draft board met at least four times in the period mentioned and "reconfirmed" Kerry's classification, but 2-S deferments were granted for the period of a year. In truth, it looks to me like he received only two formal deferments - on June 30, 1964 and June 30, 1965. The interesting fact that is apparent from this record is that Kerry was not even classified at all until May 20, 1964 - at the age of 20 and a half. Kerry was sent a Classification Questionaire on April 6, 1964, which he returned on April 26 or 28 (smudge). Then on May 20 and June 30, 1964 he is shown as being classified 2-S. What surprised me is that he had no classification at all between December 11, 1961, and May 20, 1964. I don't really recall, but I would swear I was classified 2-S as soon as I registered (I was already in college on my 18th birthday). But I dropped out and enlisted in the Army long before any deferment would have expired, so my contact with the Selective Service system was decidedly limited. Does anyone out there have any information on this point? Was it common for men to remain unclassified for several years after their 18th birthday?
_________________
Bob

Useful anti-Kerry campaign material at:
http://www.betrayed-vietnam-vet.info

[Navy_Navy_Navy]

Bob, that is FABULOUS that you got such an answer!

I'm no power-lifter, so I amended the title to attract a couple to this thread.

Does it look like they may have simply missed sending documents supporting their accompanying statement?
_________________
~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

[Tacan70UDN]

Bob - I too was classified 2S as soon as I registered since I was in college. At the start of my junior year, since I was enlisted into AFROTC, I was re-classified 1D. Was commissioned on graduation and went active duty to training then SEA. I don't understand why Kerry wasn't classified till later.

[Bob Chamberlain]

No, they sent me everything (Kerry's classification record) that is available to the general public. However, at least one statement in the letter apparently came from some other source of information. The letter mentions that Kerry registered with Selective Service Board #7 in New Hampshire, and this information cannot be found on the form I was sent. Kerry's actual personal registration card is also archived, but that can only bo obtained with Kerry's permission. I'm not sure that would tell us anything more than what we already know. Apparently, they don't actually maintain a full file on each registrant.
_________________
Bob

Useful anti-Kerry campaign material at:
http://www.betrayed-vietnam-vet.info

[Mary Ann Parker]

[b http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/03/07/wkerr07.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/03/07/ixnewstop.html

****************************

The above web site has an article on Kerry's deferment request

**************

Has everyone noticed that the DUMICRATS have not made mention of Cheney's deferments lately???
Could it be someone reminded them that;
Cheney applied for and got them legal/legit for
-Education
-Marriage
-Birth of daughter
AND
KERRY applied for FIVE DEFERMENTS ALSO! He got FOUR & was turned down for the FIFTH!! His were for;
-Education
-Education
He applied for the FIFTH to study a year in France and was turned DOWN and was told NO because he was about to
GRADUATE


The information on Cheney has several sources in this forum and others.
I would have to ge back and look them up again when I have more time.

Hope this helps. It is well established that Kerry got four, asked for five,
and was refused the fifth.
Cheney asked for and got five. (legit)
Make it a great day.
Mary Ann Parker

[Billman]

Bob, I sure hope you're contacting Mike Dobbs at the Post and other reporters with this.

It's perfectly fair to take their statement at face value, as it is exactly the criteria used by the media to characterize Dick Cheney's infamous "5 deferments". For example David Halberstam's September Vanity Fair article states