Good news from a disbanded board

I don't know the specific details, but here is the executive summary.

Navy officials have disbanded the fiscal 2007 line commander selection board due to potential misconduct at Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tenn.

The call was made Feb. 21 by Vice Adm. John Harvey, the Navy’s chief of personnel, after he had received word that “inappropriate correspondence” had been received by members of the selection board.

“My recommendation to suspend [the board] was because of the possibility of compromise — not because I had determined conclusively that a compromise had actually occurred,” Harvey said. “It’s so important to the Navy as a whole that this process be absolutely above reproach in the fullest meaning of those words with absolutely no hint of irregularity.”

Rear Adm. David Gove, NPC’s commander, is leading an inverstigation into the matter.

Harvey was not able to describe the nature of the correspondence, but did say the “senior officer” who crafted the unapproved material has been relieved, pending the outcome of the investigation.

The problem was uncovered early in the day Feb. 21 when the correspondence was discovered “in the board spaces,” Harvey said.

The board’s president immediately suspended the panel and Harvey was notified.

I don't have a spy on the inside (though I am taking applications) on what the "correspondence" was...but all I can say is BRAVO ZULU to VADM Harvey (who I don't know from Adam's Off Ox).

There is a history of undue influence of "senior officers" in boards. Though I have heard rumors of such cases, the one I have direct knowledge of (just a few years ago), a personal list was run around by a O8 with an agenda....and he got away with it. The reason? This O8 had already survived two IGs and the Old Bulls that were in a position to make a call didn't. They knew this guy had the protection to survive. The bad thing is, those officers that were selected by the board that were on RADM XXXXX's "list" will always be tainted by association. Though they really didn't need the "push," we won't really know, will we?

Though some would say the disbanding is bad news. I don't. That is like saying the police arresting a drunk driver is bad news. No, that means the system is being protected.

Chap and Bubblehead have commented as well.

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On a related note, more good news via the NAVADMIN 224/05:

RATUZYUW RUEWMFU9906 2511837-UUUU--RHMFIUU.
ZNR UUUUU ZUI RUENAAA9906 2511837
R 081837Z SEP 05 PSN 291720K21
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
ZEN/NAVADMIN @ AL NAVADMIN(UC)
BT
UNCLAS
SUBJ: ELIMINATION OF THE OFFICER PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE OFFICIAL
MILITARY
PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1NT//
TO NAVADMIN
UNCLAS //N01070//
NAVADMIN 224/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1NT/SEP//
SUBJ/ELIMINATION OF THE OFFICER PHOTOGRAPH FROM THE OFFICIAL MILITARY
/PERSONNEL FILE//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. MILPERSMAN ARTICLE 1070-180 HAS ELIMINATED THE
REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN AN OFFICER PHOTOGRAPH IN THE OFFICER
MILITARY PERSONNEL FILE. BUPERSINST 1070.27A AND OPNAVINST 5290.1A
WILL ALSO BE REVISED TO REFLECT THE POLICY CHANGE.
2. AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE
REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN AN OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH IN THE OFFICER
OFFICER MILITARY PERSONNEL FILE IS NO LONGER NECESSARY, AS ADHERENCE
TO PHYSICAL STANDARDS IS COMMENTED UPON FITNESS REPORTS AND
TECHNOLOGY PERMITS RAPID TRANSMISSION OF OFFICER PHOTOGRAPHS WHEN
NEEDED. IN ADDITION, ELIMINATION OF THE REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN A
PHOTOGRAPH IN THE OFFICIAL SERVICE RECORD WILL HELP STREAMLINE AND
MODERNIZE RECORD MANAGEMENT. REQUIREMENTS FOR PHOTOGRAPHS OF
SPECIFIC PROGRAMS WILL BE HANDLED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS.
3. POC: COMNAVPERSCOM (PERS-312E) AT (901) 874-3496/3407/DSN 882.
4. RELEASED BY VADM G. L. HOEWING, N1NT//
BT
#9906

Now, if we can get rid of ref's to names....