Now those crushing efficincy reports make perfect sense. As does the late award of the 1st PH. 3 and out allowed the Navy to kick Kerry out of VN.
This also explains his hasty and unheralded departure. And his final assignment as an aide.
With Kerry's known political connections to the K-clan the Navy couldn't do anything too harsh, so they found a political solution.
Great, now he's billed as a frikken hero.
Can't wait for the POW situation to be spun to his credit.
actually, the only part of this that doesn't make sense is the assignment as a flag officer's aide: those billets are usually given to really STRAC officers from the academies who are on the way up, if things work out the 0-7+ serves as a mentor to the 0-3 and helps guide his further career.