[Royall H. Switzler] had said on Tuesday that he had never been a Green Beret and that he had only visited Vietnam on leave from noncombat duty in Korea. The newspaper article, released at the State House by Democratic political consultant Michael Goldman, seemed to indicate that Switzler's embellishment continued after 1980, the last time he said his inaccurate military record was contained in a political brochure.

[Dominic Slowey] said he was uncertain whether one reference in the article, that Switzler was among the first combat troops sent to Vietnam by President John F. Kennedy, came from Switzler or another Republican. But he said the rest of the information came from Switzler and he vouched for its accuracy.

Legislative colleagues, many of whom had viewed Switzler as one of only twoVietnam veterans in the House, said his assertion now that he only meets the legal definition of a Vietnam veteran was galling. Many Democrats said they remembered instances when Switzler talked with pride about his service inVietnam. Others, however, could not recall such incidents.