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[Yes, character is an issue, but the whole Viet Nam War legacy is one of the most venomous in our history.

As I stated, "Only GW Bush knows what was on his mind during this period". If I go just on my wartime experiences, he's in the same pot as Kerry. I'm far to the right of GW Bush, and even further from Kerry. It's time to discuss present day issues]
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(1) Screw your "wartime experiences". The Nat'l. Guard has always been considered an essential training/emergency arm of our country's defense & an honorable choice for military service. People join the other branches of service for a variety of less than heroic reasons--to travel, get a free college education, escape a shotgun wedding, etc. I'm sick of hearing the Guard put down & its members accused of being cowards. As one of the posted articles points out, we were at the height of the Cold War in the late 60s-early 70s, the Doomsday Clock was at a minute or two til midnight, we lived in constant awareness of the possibility of nuclear war--not to mention the race riots/Kent State/1968 Chicago Dem convention, etc. etc. etc.. The National Guard was no place to hide out.
(2) Yes indeed VN is THE most venemous legacy in our history & I for one think it's time to lance that boil & reassess what really happened. The Swiftees have finally wrestled the microphone away from the crowd that's held it for 40 years & now the libs want us to forget the whole thing & "move on". Not so fast; lots of people have been waiting a long time to be heard.

"As one of the posted articles points out, we were at the height of the Cold War in the late 60s-early 70s, the Doomsday Clock was at a minute or two til midnight, we lived in constant awareness of the possibility of nuclear war"

That's right, so why weren't college grads flocking to join the National Guard before the draft loomed? Except for prior military members, many Guard slots remained vacant in the fifties and early sixties. College grads weren't racing to fill them. They only became a premium choice for military service when the draft for service during the Viet Nam War seemed a real possibility.

The entire viability of National Guard units changed dramatically after Viet Nam. Before National Guard units changed, we dreaded having them visit our active duty bases during their annual two week training. As a unit, too many were inept, and it wasn't due to the active duty veterans among their numbers. It's only now that people make the generalization that men that choose to enter the National Guard during the Viet Nam War did so to serve their country. That wasn't the prevailing attitude at the time. Granted, there were some, but they were a small percentage. It was the prior service members that were the glue of the National Guard and filled the year round slots.

"Yes indeed VN is THE most venemous legacy in our history & I for one think it's time to lance that boil & reassess what really happened."

Then open it all the way. I personally know guys that suffered worse than Kerry, yet received no citations. They never felt they were serving our country for medals or citations. And I know others that embellished their wartime experiences, just like Kerry. It was widely practiced, but this aspect would cause great harm to the vast majority of veterans that embellished nothing.