Just fyi, I think there's some misunderstanding about this. Coastal duty on a Swiftboat, even before the mission change to river patrols, was still more dangerous than duty on a tin can. However, being a "Commanding Officer" of your own command as a LTJG beats the heck out of being the third ranking engineering officer, or one of the many "Junior Officer's of the Watch" on typical destroyer duty (where he was first assigned). His request to the Swift boats represented some aptitude, i.e. he'd have to have been recommended for Command by his previous Commanding Officer, and probably have to be "hot stuff" way back at OCS (Officer Candidate School). Plus, of course, the Ivy League background didn't hurt.
His request also, of course, demonstates ambition. Not a bad thing, mind you, unless you shamelessly cart around a 8mm camera, and engage men in your enlisted command to film you re-enacting your feats of heroism?!! (That'd get some guys relieved of Command). I mean, think about it. You're a new officer trying to build credibility with your guys, on detached, independent duty, the "Commanding Officer" of a Naval vessel, with the lives of a half dozen men in your hands, and you're walking around in the middle of a war-zone-jungle, with a movie camera in your hand?!!!
Any way, all this dove-tails with what we all know about Kerry's character, and why few other Naval Officers such as myself hold him in high esteem. He bailed on his men early. He didn't bail on the "Vietnam War"; he walked away from his men! Some guys signed on for a second tour just to ensure their guys had enough training and leadership to survive their tours, and Kerry bailed on his guys after four months?! His vanity, his cowardly departure from duty in Vietnam, his self-centerness, his "gigolo" past, his opportunism and shameless self-promotion, his egotism (to airport worker, while butting into the front of the line, "Do you know who I am?!"), his faithlessness to duty and country, his frequent political alliances with America's enemies (direct and indirect) ... all these things disqualify him to be CiC.
Bush is a better man in every measureable way.
SFS
I agree with you. I think it's pretty clear that Kerry's ambition for command and for an accumulation of medals was based in large part on his nascent political ambitions.