THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 20, 1995 TAG: 9508200044
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: THE NEW YORK TIMES
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
A Navy helicopter commander who faced a discharge after his refusal to fly combat missions with women has been allowed to stay on active duty.
Just before his unit, with its two female pilots, was to depart for the invasion of Haiti last summer, Lt. Cmdr. Kenneth A. Carkhuff, a 13-year Navy veteran, told his commanding officer that he would not go to sea because his religious and moral beliefs prevented him from going into combat with women.
Carkhuff's superior immediately relieved him of his duties and two Navy review boards recommended unanimously this year that he be dismissed for ``substandard performance.'' Women were first allowed to fly combat missions in Navy warplanes last year.
The case drew national attention from religious organizations, and more than 35 conservative congressmen urged the Navy to retain the officer. Carkhuff later said he would have followed a direct order to fly with the female pilots.
``There are no specific scriptures that say women shall not serve in combat, and if I'd been given a direct order to fly with these women, I would have done so,'' Carkhuff said Friday.
``But throughout the whole Bible and the scriptures there are passages saying to protect and provide for the family. Part of that is you don't subject women to violence.''
After reviewing the case, Navy Secretary John H. Dalton on Friday approved the recommendation of Adm. Jeremy M. Boorda, the chief of naval operations, to reject the panels' findings and allow the officer to remain in the Navy.
On Friday, Boorda sent a four-page memorandum to all Navy commanders citing Carkhuff's sterling record and the unusual circumstances of the case as causes for retaining him.
``The way in which he treated people in his command, regardless of any factor (including gender), was without blemish,'' the admiral said. ``His record of service and performance was impeccable. I recommended that he continue to serve and that the action in his case was sufficient without the need for separation.''
Navy officials said that Carkhuff's being relieved of his duties, which is noted in his personnel record, means that his remaining years in the Navy will be brief. He has not yet been assigned a new job.
``His career is not going anywhere,'' said a Navy official. ``So do you toss the guy out at the 13-year point or let him serve a couple more years and then let him go home?'' by CNB