Kerry Quietly Changes Biography After Records Released
John Kerry’s web site biography used to say[note 1] that he was a Naval Officer until 1970, and then a Naval Reservist from 1972-1978. I and other Vietnam veterans questioned this gap, which conveniently coincided with Kerry’s anti-war activities, and which implied he was not in the military at that time - an “early out” not available to the rest of us.
Kerry’s dates of service are no longer in his biography.
His newly released service record shows he was a sworn officer in the Navy Reserve from 1970-1972. Coincidence or the exposure of a cover-up?
While a sworn Officer in the regular reserve, Kerry [note 2]:
- Met in Paris with the enemy.
- Frequently accused our country of a policy of atrocities.
- Testified before the U.S. Senate that our soldiers routinely committed atrocities.
- Recommended to the Senate that we immediately surrender (unilateral cease fire and withdrawal) on enemy terms, without any guarantee of getting our POWs back.
- Recommended that we pay reparations to Vietnam.
- Told many other slanderous and damaging lies about our country, our soldiers, and our South Vietnamese allies.
One might ask for a question about the discrepancy between the two documents - his service record and his “request for service record (see “Update” below). His orders show release to inactive service in the Naval Reserve (as distinct from a release to the inactive reserve).
His service record, dated 1/25/85, shows:
(Click image for full size:)
This document is from here on Kerry’s campaign web site.
[Update: Strangely, another more recent document , dated 24 May 1986, contains the following:

“Inactive” in this document may mean that he was not required to attend drills. However, his membership was in the regular reserve, not the “inactive reserve” - then called “Standby Reserve.”
In other words, whether or not he had to attend drills, he was in the organization subject to immediate callup (active reserve). He was later transfered to the Standby Reserve (inactive reserve). In both cases, he was still a sworn officer of the United States Navy.]
Coincidentally, I am also was a Vietnam Veteran who served in the Naval Reserves after active duty. I joined the Navy the same day as two days after John Kerry.
When I was in the same status as Kerry while he was performing his antiwar activities: (Regular Reservers, inactive status):
- I received orders from the Navy. Civilians do not receive military orders.
- I carried a military ID card (Kerry would have had one for the same reason I did). Civilians do not carry military ID cards. Mine is shown below (with signature and service ID blacked out for privacy).

[Note 1:
For some reason, the Wayback Machine does not archive 2004 pages from Kerry’s web site.
From another spot on his website (grab it before it too disappears), we find the cover-up version:
John Kerry is a Decorated Combat Veteran of the Vietnam War: Kerry volunteered for the United States Navy after college and served from 1966 through 1970 rising to the rank of Lieutenant, Junior Grade. Afterwards, Kerry continued his military service in the United States Naval Reserves from 1972 through 1978. Kerry served two tours of duty in Vietnam–one tour as commander of a Navy Swift Boat in the Mekong Delta. Kerry’s action during the Vietnam War resulted in his being awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star with V, three awards of the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal. [Selective Service System National Headquarters; Boston Globe, 6/17/03]
Here is another version still on his website that implies his discharge and does not mmention at all his 1972-1978 reserve status. Since this is on a page meant for Veterans, it is likely that he knew veterans would question a 1970-1972 gap.
Mother Jones likewise has the truncated version.]
[Note 2: An annotated version of Kerry’s Statements can be found here, along with a link to the full CSPAN transcript.]
Last update: 4/24/2003