Hope this isn't too far off topic but Al Gore went in the army on a two year enlistment, that means he was unassigned, with no choices or contracts, yet instead of automatically being sent to combat arms, he was given a highly sought journalist slot.
Another thing, he was transferred to Vietnam with only months remaining in his enlistment, well the army didn't work that way.
The army would only send you to a school or Vietnam if it benefited them, they would not invest that money in you just before you were discharged.
Well, his father was a Senator. He had pull. It was considered de rigeur for a future politician to get some experience in war. So they put him where he would be out of harms way. That's how it's done. No conspiracy there.