My New Dilemma...

[BTs_GhostSniper]

I do these tribute pages for everyone...doesn't matter to me what their politics are.  My tributes are totally non-political as you can see from the following ones that I have done:

Lt John F. Kennedy

Gen Wesley Clark

1Lt George Bush

Lt George H.W. Bush

Currently, the main problem I have is that I request a DD214 or Form 180 from these people before I do their tribute so that I can make it as accurate as possible (especially for their ribbons), but as yet, I can't get a copy of John Kerry's official military records because he won't release them to the public.  I've also tried getting the records that are releasable under the Freedom of Information Act from the National Archives, and he has blocked their release from there as well.  So, I can't get the information I need to do it right....should I do it at all???

[macuser1984]

Screw him.  If he isn't going to give you his records then he doesn't deserve to have a tribute made.

[*DAMN Bondo]

What information would you use lacking the official documentation? I don't think I was around when the Swift Boat Vets thing here, I assume you thought what they did was wrong and would lean towards the story Kerry, those who served directly with him, and the Navy says is true. I think Kerry has published some of the records on his website maybe?

[BTs_GhostSniper]

What information would you use lacking the official documentation? I don't think I was around when the Swift Boat Vets thing here, I assume you thought what they did was wrong and would lean towards the story Kerry, those who served directly with him, and the Navy says is true. I think Kerry has published some of the records on his website maybe?

The problem is this:

When I do these tribute pages, I require them to have official military documentation proving that the information is accurate.  I don't just take the veteran's word for it, because 9 times out of 10, the VETERAN doesn't even know exactly how many of some of his ribbons he is eligible for.  For instance, the individual may be eligible to wear the Presidential Unit Citation, but because he didn't receive the award himself, he may not know that he is allowed to wear it.  The actual DD214 or Form 180 records would tell me this.  This actually happened in the case of my father...who had an Air Force Achievement Medal that he didn't even know he had.  But because I ran the Form 180 through the National Personnel Records Center (a branch of the National Archives), I was able to find his correct list of ribbons.

It isn't that I don't believe what the veteran tells me, it is more a way for me to make sure that the information is accurate.  Now my problem with this is, if what Kerry is telling everyone is true, then why won't he allow just his basic information, which is allowed under the Freedom of Information Act, to be released?

The information that is releasable under the Freedom of Information Act includes the following:  Dates and Place of Service, all Ribbons and Medals awarded, Place of Birth, Flight Information, and some other less important information for my purposes.

["Sixhits"]

You can guess my opinion.

He served, right?

But his page right next to Bush's.


Why not do a FOI request?  You could make waves, dude.

[BTs_GhostSniper]

You can guess my opinion.

Actually, I have the same opinion.  I want to do it...I do them for everyone who has served...but I also check every record before I make a tribute for someone.  Making one for him without those documents would go against what I have done for every single one of the over 1,000 tributes I have made thus far.

He served, right?

Yes, but I still need those documents.  How am I supposed to know which ribbons to put on the tribute, which dates of service, etc?  Even Kerry's website only lists his Medals, not all of his ribbons.

But his page right next to Bush's.

The tributes are in alphabetical order by rank.  But that does mean his tribute would be right next to George H.W. Bush, as they both held the rank of Lt.

Why not do a FOI request?  You could make waves, dude.

I did do an FOI request.  What do you think I said up there when I said I asked for all information available under the FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT?  I've been doing these for a long long time.  It has taken me about 5 years to research and put together over 1,000 of these tributes.  I send out around 50 Form 180's to the National Personnel Records Center each week.  Most of the time I don't have any problem getting the information I'm looking for.  But with Kerry, it's like he has blocked every avenue someone would use to get his information.  Why?

[spike]

Even though you piss the fuck outa me with your politics, I admire you for putting all those pages together, and venerating those who deserve it(tho, that, of course, is up for debate   )

[crypt]

If you find out what he really did in Vietnam, do it. Anyone who joins the military in the first place deserves to be honored, despite his political beliefs and ugliness.

[BTs_GhostSniper]

If you find out what he really did in Vietnam, do it. Anyone who joins the military in the first place deserves to be honored, despite his political beliefs and ugliness.

Of course.  I've done them for countless people I don't really care for....such as Wesley Clark and I even did one for Timothy McVeigh (who bombed the Federal Building in my Home Town of Oklahoma City).  If I had all Kerry's information and could do an accurate tribute, I would.

[crypt]

Did you do one for the DC sniper guy?

[c| Spetsnaz.]

What documents do you need that can't be found here? http://www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/military_records.html

[BTs_GhostSniper]

What documents do you need that can't be found here? http://www.johnkerry.com/about/john_kerry/military_records.html

I already searched through that site and none of that gives me a current list of his ribbons eligible to wear.  See, the problem is that those documents on that site are the original documents issued in the early 70's, when he left active duty.  They do not include his Reserve service, and also don't include any ribbons that he would have been allowed to wear retroactively for his service (such as the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation).  I need an updated copy of those documents, which can only be provided by the National Personnel Records Center.

[c| Spetsnaz.]

They must be in the same place where GWB's Natl' guard records are.

[BTs_GhostSniper]

They must be in the same place where GWB's Natl' guard records are.

Probably.  That place is called the National Personnel Records Center located at 9700 Page Ave/St Louis, MO 63132-5100 (I have it memorized because I mail shit to them so often).  They are the depository of nearly all military personnel records, except for a large number of records for some Army and Air Force personnel whose records burned up in a fire there in the early 1970's (this is what happened to my Grandfather's records).

[BTs_GhostSniper]

Correction....

Well, it looks like John Kerry has recently added his DD215 (a correction to his DD214) in that list on www.johnkerry.com.  With that correction, I think I can make a pretty accurate tribute page for him.

Spets....your mission, should you choose to accept it, is:

Find me a high-quality picture of John Kerry in uniform (preferably in a PhotoShop format so I don't lose any image quality...but .jpg is okay), and e-mail it to me at GhostSniper@battleteksquad.com.

-GhostSniper Out.

[BTs_Mysterio]

GS, I thought Tiff or PNG are as high quality and loss-less with more efficiency?

[BTs_GhostSniper]

GS, I thought Tiff or PNG are as high quality and loss-less with more efficiency?

I don't care what format he sends it in, as long as PhotoShop 7 will open it, allow me to edit it, and then save it in .jpg it doesn't matter.

[BTs_Mysterio]

Mr. Big Dollar should have PhotoShop CS.  

[BTs_GhostSniper]

Mr. Big Dollar should have PhotoShop CS.  

The only reason I'm not still running PhotoShop 3.0 is because it wouldn't work in OSX and I couldn't boot into OS9 on my new G5.  Otherwise I would never have even bought 7.0.  For what I use PhotoShop for, I never use 99% of its features.

[BTs_Mysterio]

Then you should have just bought Adobe Essentials (small version of PS for lot less).