The POW Network, an organization dedicated to distributing information on prisoners of war and missing in action servicemen, has published Good's military records online at www.pownetwork.org.
Good, who resigned last week after two months of calls for him to do so from residents angry about his admitted lies about his military record and education, declined to provide the Cherokee Tribune a copy of his DD-214.
He said the military document, which is the official record of service, was "private."
Information from the record, as deemed public by the federal government under the Freedom of Information Act, shows Good served in the U.S. Army from August of 1986 to September of 1990.
His rank was Specialist (E-4). His assignments and geographical locations include being part of a recruit battalion and 6th Battalion 2nd Brigade at Fort Jackson in South Carolina and a member of the 361st signal battalion at Fort Gordon in Georgia.
He was stationed at Fort Benning in Georgia for telecommunications and infantry school. He was in the Communications Access Unit with the 82nd Air Borne at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. While at Fort Bragg, the records show he served with the 313 Mobile Infantry 82nd Airborne and Troop E 1st Squadron 17th Cavalry 82nd Air Borne.
His military education includes U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon single channel radio operator and the Driver Education Course at the U.S. Army Training Center at Fort Bragg.
His decorations and awards include the Army Service Ribbon, Army Lapel Button, M-16 expert badge, parachute badge, Army Good Medal and the Army Achievement Medal.
Good previously claimed he was an Army Ranger who served in combat in the Panama invasion. Upon his withdrawal in June from his re-election bid for a third four-year term in the Republican primary, Good said he attended Ranger school, but didn't graduate. He didn't comment on his Panama claim, but it was removed from his official biography on the county government website.
In a press release issued this weekend, the Cherokee Coalition for Responsible Growth, a grassroots group that called for Good's resignation, asserts the DD-214 records released show Good never served outside the U.S.
Good in an e-mail response on Tuesday to questions about his record said he did serve in Panama.
"Just because they say it does not make it true," he said.
Good's fellow commissioners said they want to take a look at the county's rules on ethics as a result of the controversy.
Commissioner Harry Johnston said while the county government has a board of ethics to investigate complaints made by residents such as conflicts of interest, there is no code of ethics for county commissioners to his knowledge.
"I know I think it would be a good idea," Johnston said about the board of commissioners drafting a clear, written standard of ethics that could be enforced by the county's ethics board.
Johnston said the challenge of creating such a code would be to write it in a way that enforcement is "not overly open to abuse by political opponents."
Commissioner Karen Bosch said she would like to see such a code created and apply not only to the commissioners, but also to the boards, committees and commissions it appoints.
"They are making decisions on behalf of the citizens, even if it is in an advisory capacity," she said of appointed panels.
Commissioner Jim Hubbard said constituents want the board to take action on the issue.
Canton resident Lisa Tessler in response to the Good situation asked board members to pass a measure that would prohibit public officials from "significantly misrepresenting" their qualifications.
"It is certainly something that people have got us thinking about," Hubbard said. "It would be appropriate for us to look at it."
Board Chairman Buzz Ahrens said he has also heard such requests from residents, and it would be "certainly responsible to consider it," noting it has not yet been added to a meeting agenda.
The only other medals the Army has awarded for Panama was the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal which was awarded for service in Panama from 20 Dec 89 - 31 Jan 90. Which would have shown up on his DD-214 as well.
Derek why, oh why, do you keep lying?
The Commissioner's who sided with Good, should be ashamed they took such a stand. Maybe we need to review their qualifications a bit closer too