Conduct Unbecoming - Kerry doesn't deserve Vietnam vets' support.
BY STEPHEN SHERMAN
Monday, January 26, 2004 12:01 a.m. EST
Mr. Sherman was a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army
Fifth Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Vietnam, 1967-68.
A turning point may have been reached in the Iowa caucuses
when Special Forces Lt. James Rassmann came forward to
thank John Kerry for saving his life in Vietnam. Although
Mr. Rassmann, like most of my veteran friends, is a
Republican, he said that he'd vote for Mr. Kerry. I don't
know if the incident influenced the caucus results. But I
took special interest in the story because Jim served in
my unit.
Service in Vietnam is an important credential to me. Many
felt that such service was beneath them, and removed
themselves from the manpower pool. That Mr. Kerry served
at all is a reason for a bond with fellow veterans; that
his service earned him a Bronze Star for Valor ("for
personal bravery") and a Silver Star ("for gallantry") is
even more compelling. <font size=4>Unfortunately, Mr. Kerry came home
to Massachusetts, the one state George McGovern carried in
1972. He joined the Vietnam Veterans Against the War and
emceed the Winter Soldier Investigation (both financed by
Jane Fonda). Many veterans believe these protests led to
more American deaths, and to the enslavement of the people
on whose behalf the protests were ostensibly being
undertaken. But being a take-charge kind of guy, Mr. Kerry
became a leader in the VVAW and even testified before
Congress on the findings of the Investigation, which he
accepted at face value.
In his book "Stolen Valor," B.G. Burkett points out that
Mr. Kerry liberally used phony veterans to testify to
atrocities they could not possibly have committed. Mr.
Kerry later threw what he represented as his awards at the
Capitol in protest. But as the war diminished as a
political issue, he left the VVAW, which was a bit too
radical for his political future, and was ultimately
elected to the Senate. After his awards were seen framed
on his office wall, he claimed to have thrown away someone
else's medals--so now he can reclaim his gallantry in
Vietnam.
Mr. Kerry hasn't given me any reason to trust his
judgment.<font size=3> As co-chairman of the Senate investigating
committee, he quashed a revealing inquiry into the POW/MIA
issue, and he supports trade initiatives with the
Socialist Republic of Vietnam while blocking any
legislation requiring Hanoi to adhere to basic human
rights. I'm not surprised that there are veterans who
support a VVAW activist, if only because there are so few
fellow veterans in politics. Ideally, there'd be many
more. If you are going to vote on military appropriations,
it would be nice if you didn't disrespect the soldiers.
Congress hasn't had the courage to declare war in more
than 60 years, despite numerous instances in which we have
sent our military in harm's way. Of all the "lessons of
Vietnam," surely one is that America needs a leader
capable of demonstrating in himself, and encouraging in
others, the resolve to finish what they have collectively
started.
But the bond between veterans has to be tempered in light
of the individual's record. Just as Mr. Kerry threw away
medals only to claim them back again, Sen. Kerry voted to
take action against Iraq, but claims to take that vote
back by voting against funding the result. So I can
understand my former comrade-in-arms hugging the man who
saved his life, but not the act of choosing him for
president out of gratitude. And I would hate to see anyone
giving Mr. Kerry a sympathy vote for president just
because being a Vietnam veteran is "back in style."
Mr. Sherman was a first lieutenant with the U.S. Army
Fifth Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Vietnam, 1967-68.
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