Kerry's alleged other than honorable Navy discharge - story gets new push from Ford administration SecNav

WorldNetDaily: Ex-Navy sec to Kerry: Open up your records :
"William Middendorf, the Navy chief from 1974 to 1977, told WorldNetDaily today that Kerry, who began inactive reserve status in 1972, would have been issued a document three years later either for a reserve reaffiliation or a separation discharge.
"An 'honorable discharge' from 1978 appears on the Kerry campaign's website, but a Navy lawyer who served under Middendorf believes that document is a substitute for one that would have been issued in 1975."

I have written before of my skepticism about this charge, but the source here does bring more heft to the accusation although Middendorf has to be careful to point out that the Privacy Act of 1974 forbids him to comment specifically on any individual's personnel records.

Middendorf's statement that Kerry's inactive reserve status, which began in 1972, would have come up for routine review in 1975 is, I believe, a new wrinkle in the case; I don't recall seeing that in Lipscomb's article or two others I have read covering this ground. See my earlier entry (Oct. 13) for my take on the Lipscomb article.