[Freee-dame]

I believe he was drafted. He had asked his draftboard in 1968? to let him study in Paris for a year so he could avoid having to go to Viet Nam. After the draftboard denied him his request he enlisted in the Navy and the rest is history

I don't think people got "drafted" into the Navy. One could enlist in another branch of the service to avoid being drafted into the Army. No one calls them draft dodgers, though.

I keep hearing that Cheney got 5 deferments. Didn't everyone who went straight through college get 4 deferments, one for each year? Can someone from that era clear that up for me, please.

[Bernard]

The normal process was that an under-graduate college student got an (almost) automatic 2S deferment, which has to be renewed each school year.

My sophomore year, the SS lost some paperwork and I had to go through the process all over again, since they sent me a new card with a 1A. When I present proof of enrollment, I went back to 2S.

So, unless there were medical conditions that would have made Mr. Kerry 4F, or some other considerations, he should have received 4 consecutive 2S deferments while he was an undergraduate.

Hope that helps.

[Kaslin]

I don't know why the liberals keep bringing up Cheney's deferment. It was perfectly legal, and I don't care if Kerry enlisted in the Navy or not. The fact is that he only served a little over 4 month and got back home in the shortest time under questionable circumstances if you ask me. While others served their 12 month or more