Is it true that Biden had 5 student deferments during the Viet Nam war, before he got one for asthma?

Question

How bad of asthma did he have being he was a football player and a lifeguard?

meanwhile my stepfather did 3 tours in Viet Nam and passed away August 7 2006 from complications due to his exposure to Agent Orange!

Answer 1

I have no idea.  Nor do I care. I don't know why there's so much fixation on military service.  Biden was 29 1972.  I imagine he spent most of the Vietnam era in college and law school.

Answer 2

I'm totally missing your point?  You are upset that your stepfather died while other people received deferments?  All people or just Democrats in the public eye?  

Answer 3

So because the government allowed for people to defer being drafted because they were in college and happened to be in college and used that he is a bad man? Also even if he played football if he had asthma it disqualifies you from military service. My ex boyfriend has terrible asthma and played football in college, he just kept his inhaler on the bench.  

Answer 4

Biden was one among many with student deferments.

I was a dancer and I have asthma, medicine is a wonderful thing.

Even back in the sixties I had an inhaler.

Mine got better as I got older too.

Did you know that the age of marriage was the lowest it ever was because of people avoiding the war?

I have a feeling you might not understand the anger about the draft, the sense of hopelessness as we watched the rich buy their way to safety while the poor became cannon fodder.

Student deferments weren't looked upon as something to be ashamed of.

I wonder if you supported Kerry, Cleland and Gore for their service, or do you only worry about deferments for Democrats?

I don't think you get it, there will never be a no deferment draft, for two reasons, we need educated men and women, and those in power don't want their sons and daughters being forced to go.  In families with a history of military men, the kids go to the acadamys, graduate as officers and in general see little action close up. Its not completly safe, but as safe as they can make it unless the kid wants more.

The draft never was fair, neither was admission to the National Guard back then.  Should it be?  Well, I should be a size four, but it ain't gonna happen.  I have to deal with the reality of time, and the idea of a draft being fair and equal isn't real.

Besides, you always could have enlisted, my husband did during Viet Nam, nothing stopped anyone who wanted to go, from going.

Answer 5

Yes, it's true.  Joe Biden had five student draft deferments during the Vietnam War and was later disqualified from service because of asthma.

The exact same number of deferments d**k Cheney had and the exact same disqualification from service as d**k Cheney.

The same d**k Cheney who served twice as VP and the main force behind the US invading Iraq for no good reason.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep...

So what's your point?  Looking to do Biden bashing?  Know your facts before you run your mouth.

Answer 6

yeah these rich ***-holes never go to war look at bush and his succesfull avoidence of service i mean real service, name one in washington who has see! if you have money you dont have to server your country but, you can rape it, or get away with murder ala, o.j.simpson theres nothing you have to do when you are in!

Answer 7

Asthma after your 13th birthday is disqualifying for entry into the armed forces. That standard has been in place for over 50 years. You don't get a deferment for having such a condition. You get a permanent disqualification and your draft status is changed to 4-F. I personally had a hand in the physical examination of college and professional athletes during the Vietnam War. Most failed their physicals and were marked 4-F. Do not confuse athleticism with the physical requirements for the armed forces.

The link below is to the medical standards. You can study Chapter Two and figure out which conditions should be disallowed to have people serve in case the draft is restored. There are over 200 conditions mentioned.