Vietnam Service as a Campaign Issue
The AP reports that service in Vietnam has become an issue among candidates for President. Here's the wrap-up of who served and who did not.
Clark and Kerry served, which everyone knows by now because they mention it in every speech. Each received a Purple Heart after being wounded in action as well as the Silver Star for "gallantry in action."
Only John Edwards and Howard Dean got draft lottery numbers. The war ended before Edwards number was called (#178.) Dean was excused for a physical condition. The AP isn't too charitable towards Dean on the subjectr:
In an interview with the AP, Dean said he had known since he was in high school that he had an unfused vertebra, a condition called spondylolysis. Dean tried to spell the condition during the interview, but got it wrong after three tries, even though he is a medical doctor and worked as an internist before entering politics. He laughed over his difficulty and defended himself by saying he is not a bone specialist.