Navy’s Knee Jerk

My letter concerns the irresponsible action by the secretary of defense and the secretary of the Navy in summarily dismissing three senior officers at Miramar Naval Air Station. The effect of this knee-jerk reaction, borne out of frustration with cost overrun and waste stories plaguing the Navy (and military establishment in general), will be more severe than the damage done to the intelligence system by the Walkers. In this case, the three senior officers are being made scapegoats for a military procurement system that has run amok.

By such overzealous and uninformed decisions at the top level of the military command structure, this nation now stands to watch the readiness of its forces take a nose dive. The message to all commands is clear: All commanding officers are to become supply officers. However, do not follow the rules of the supply system. If you think a part or a tool costs more than it should, do not order it. Make do with what you have. Let someone else take the blame because a whole career will go up in smoke if the secretary of Navy or the secretary of defense thinks you are ordering overpriced parts.

Instead of changing the supply system procedures, the top brass has taken a mass punitive measure with these three officers, who were not even at Miramar when most of the orders were placed, and without a thorough investigation into the circumstances. Using their logic, the chief of naval operations should also be fired. In fact, the blame for a bad military procurement system rests squarely on this and all preceding administrations. Scapegoats often become vindicated after reason and clear thinking prevail. Meanwhile, a terrible injustice has been imposed.

CHARLES A. PINNEY

Del Mar