Kerry spent more time at Air Force base in Alabama as a boy than Bush did

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when he was SUPPOSED to be reporting to Alabama Air National Guard during the Vietnam War.

What a contrast in character.

Kerry Pays Tribute to Our Nation's Veterans


May 31, 2004

For Immediate Release
Washington, DC
Senator John Kerry today marked Memorial Day paying
tribute to our nation's veterans. Kerry visited the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial with the family of William Bronson of Gardner, Massachusetts.
Mr. Bronson passed away in 1976 of injuries he sustained during combat
in Vietnam.  Kerry aided the Bronson family efforts to get his name
added to the Wall, officially added at a separate Wall ceremony Monday
afternoon.  Kerry also joined Virginia Governor Mark Warner, Congressman
Bobby Scott and Portsmouth, Virginia-area veterans at the city's annual
Memorial Day Remembrance Parade.  Portsmouth, home to the Naval Ship
Yards, hosts the longest continuous running Memorial Day parade in the
United States.


"It symbolizes the spirit of America that there are citizen soldiers
ready to do what it takes to live and lead by our values," Kerry said.
"I met so many of them when I fought in Vietnam, and I have met them
since from Desert Storm, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraqi Freedom.  The love of
country and sense of duty I have seen and known is special. You carry it
with you always.  And it's because of those who fought before and those
who fight today that it's time do what it takes to build an America
that's once again respected in the world."

On Saturday, Kerry attended the official opening of the World War II
Memorial with Joseph Lesniewski, one of the original 'Band of Brothers'
from the 'Easy Company' of the 101st Airborne Division during WWII. 

John Kerry grew up admiring the fighters of the Greatest Generation. As
a boy, he spent time on Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL and
Camp Cooke in California. After graduating from Yale, Kerry followed in
the footsteps of his father, who specialized in test flying planes, and
joined the Navy. 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,
the Bronze Star with Combat "V" and three Purple Hearts, the
Presidential Unit Citation for Extraordinary Heroism.  Kerry returned
from Vietnam and began a lifetime fight to protect those still in
uniform, and as President has vowed to keep the faith with America's
veterans.