John McCain is a national hero. His military service pales in comparison to no one. He did his duty and endured unbelievable horrors as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. His presidential campaign has emphasized his military service and I have no problem with that. But there have been times that I've been critical of Senator McCain for focusing on his past military accomplishments rather than his not-so-stellar (from a conservative perspective) career in the Senate. At times, I've also felt McCain was a bit too proud of enduring his years as a prisoner of war.It appears that I've been unfair. The Associated Press reported today that John McCain's military record was released today by the Navy - not at his or his campaign's request but in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the AP.
The AP was probably looking for dirt but instead reporter Jim Kuhnhenn found that "John McCain's Navy record boils down to a series of unadorned photographs that bestow upon him some of the nation's top military honors."
From 1958, when he graduated from the Naval Academy and entered the active service until his retirement in 1981, McCain received 17 awards and decorations. These included a Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit with a combat "V" and one gold star, a Distinguished Flying Cross, and a Bronze Star Medal with a combat "V" and two gold stars. He also received a Purple Heart.
John McCain deserves some credit for humility. His military accomplishments are worth bragging about far more than he or his campaign has.
McCain's military service and accomplishments in the Navy (even taken by themselves) make him a better choice for president than Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.
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