Replying to a message of TIM RICHARDSON to BOB ACKLEY:

 BA>> Which is fine.  If he was in for 65 days then he finished basic
 BA>> training, to claim he did not is factually incorrect.

 TR> Otto stated that he either fell down, or was pushed down a set of
 TR> steps in the barracks, and broke his ankle. I find it hard to believe
 TR> that anyone with a broken ankle would continue basic training without
 TR> a stay of several weeks in the base hospital. Not even the Air Force
 TR> would have someone marching along in formation, or in close order
 TR> drill (do they have such a thing in the Air Force?), on a pair of
 TR> crutches.

 TR> Otto further stated that the Air Force offered him a choice of
 TR> continuing, or taking a discharge. He also stated that the Air Force
 TR> offered him a large sum of money so he wouldn't sue over his injury.

In 2004 the younger brother of a co-worker was given the option of honorable
separation near the end of basic training.  If memory serves the stated condition
was 'shin splints,' which sounds a bit fishy to me, but that's the story I was
told.



 TR> Otto made the claim that he had contacted a Marine recruiter in
 TR> Sheboygan, had given them Richard's name, the recruiter checked
 TR> Richard's marine record out and told Otto Richard had gotten a
 TR> dishonorable discharge!

 TR> You and I both know that cannot possibly be true. That is a baldfaced
 TR> lie. No Marine ( or any other branch of military service) in a
 TR> position to check records, recruiter or otherwise, would even discuss
 TR> such a thing with some civilian who just walked in off the street and
 TR> made such a request. (I know this of personal knowledge, as I have
 TR> talked to Marine and Navy recruiters on that very subject since, and
 TR> was told no such thing is possible!)

Well, they *might* discuss it without naming names, among themselves and
most likely not with outsiders.  But that presupposes access to the information,
which the overwhelming majority of service personnel don't have.

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