Awaiting Further Investigations

The Big Trunk at Power Line called my attention to an important story about John Kerry's discharge from the Navy. The full text of the article is available on the site of the New York Sun, which has become something of a new media organ in its own right. Not all of the Sun's contents are online for free, but thankfully this story by Thomas Lipscomb is among the freebies.

Lipscomb's article explores the mysteries around Kerry's military records and may explain his refusal to sign Standard Form 180 to release the entire cache of files from his days in the Navy. The heart of the matter:

"An official Navy document on Senator Kerry's campaign Web site listed as Mr. Kerry's 'Honorable Discharge from the Reserves' opens a door on a well kept secret about his military service.

"The document is a form cover letter in the name of the Carter administration's secretary of the Navy, W. Graham Claytor. It describes Mr. Kerry's discharge as being subsequent to the review of 'a board of officers.' This in it self is unusual. There is nothing about an ordinary honorable discharge action in the Navy that requires a review by a board of officers.

"According to the secretary of the Navy's document, the 'authority of reference' this board was using in considering Mr. Kerry's record was 'Title 10, U.S. Code Section 1162 and 1163.' This section refers to the grounds for involuntary separation from the service. What was being reviewed, then, was Mr. Kerry's involuntary separation from the service. And it couldn't have been an honorable discharge, or there would have been no point in any review at all. The review was likely held to improve Mr. Kerry's status of discharge from a less than honorable discharge to an honorable discharge."

It's an excellent piece of investigative reporting; this story will have legs, so we'll see where it goes next.