jb2000

Having served in the US Navy myself, I remember distinctly instructions on this matter. Indeed, you follow the chain of command first. However, should the chain of command fail to respond, you have both the right and responsibility to report the matter to the US Congress.

As far as I have seen, John Kerry's protests and anti-war activity all took place after his service. As a citizen, he had every right to participate in them and was no longer under the jurisdiction of the UCMJ, thus the irrelevance of the legal argument that he should have remained mum because he was military.

I would not have followed the path Kerry did, had I gone through it, I don't think. But I would not have followed the path Bush or Clinton did either. The difference with Kerry was that his path certainly took great courage, even if you don't agree with his actions. Regardless, given the times, I do not hold any of those men in ill respect, whether it was Clinton leaving the country to avoid it, Bush getting stationed in a cush unit, Cheney having 'other priorities', Kerry coming back and taking up the anti-war banner, Gore doing a six-month stint, McCain spending years in a POW camp. Each had a different experience. Some are worthy of special respect for their trials and how they handled them. But none are worthy of ill respect. I reserve that for those who who commit crimes while in the service, or who aren't honest about what they did.