Quote:
Originally posted by QRQ 30
Now, let's talk about Lt(jg) Johnny Kerry who actively campaigned against the war while still obligated to the Navy. A little research may also disclose that Kerry enlisted in the Naval Reserve not the Regular Navy. He seems to forget that when trashing the Guard.
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Kerry enlisted into an Officer Candidate program, which would lead to a commission in the US Naval Reserve (as with the Army, at the time only Academy grads automatically got regular commissions). I don't see anything in his records that indicate his enlistment was intended to lead to service in the Ready Reserve rather than on active duty. His actual appointment as a reserve officer upon completing OCS was to active duty.
This is different from my experience, but I don't know 1960s practice or Navy practice. I was in the Army Reserve when I was accepted to OCS. I was discharged from the Army Reserve before reporting to Benning, where I became Regular Army. Upon graduating OCS, I was discharged from the Regular Army to accept a commission in the US Army Reserve.
I do find it odd that he enlisted in February 1966 but did not report to his OCIU until August. Is that normal? I signed my enlistment contract in April but did not report to Basic until late May, but my PEBD was the date I reported to Ft. Dix, not the date I went to MEPS. Kerry's PEBD was February 18, 1966, but on commissioning in December, he had accrued under 4 months active duty (OCS from August 19 to December 15).