THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 15, 1996 TAG: 9602150355
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DALE EISMAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
The Navy's top civilian acknowledged on Wednesday that the service ``made an error'' in processing the promotion of Cmdr. Robert E. Stumpf, an Oceana-based aviator, but gently sought to place some of the blame for scuttling's Stumpf's advance on members of the U.S. Senate.
Secretary of the Navy John H. Dalton, who just a few months ago wrote to senators on Stumpf's behalf, told reporters the pilot's case ``was a tough call.'' He believes the former head of the Navy's celebrated ``Blue Angels'' should have been promoted to captain, Dalton added.
But Dalton said he could understand, in light of evidence concerning Stumpf's attendance at the 1991 Tailhook Association convention in Las Vegas, how senators reached the opposite conclusion. He suggested that he bowed to their wishes in December and killed the promotion ``to protect the integrity of the promotion process.''
Dalton's handling of the case has touched off a firestorm of protest among Navy retirees, many of whom have bombarded their hometown newspapers with letters critical of the secretary.
In an interview Wednesday, Stumpf declined to join in that criticism. Instead, ``I hold the Senate Armed Services Committee responsible'' for blocking his promotion, he said. ``The committee reached the wrong conclusion.''
Drunken aviators in attendance at Tailhook sexually assaulted dozens of Navy and civilian women. Embarrassed over the incidents, the Navy has toughened policies against sexual harassment but continues to be dogged by negative publicity on the subject.
Stumpf, who went to Tailhook to receive an award for his strike fighter squadron's performance in the Persian Gulf War, was cleared by a Navy board of inquiry of any misconduct there. A promotion board recommended his advancement to captain early in 1994.
Stumpf's nomination was endorsed by the Armed Services Committee and approved by the full Senate that May. But before the promotion became final, the Navy discovered that it had not told senators Stumpf was at Tailhook; the Armed Services Committee requires that any promotion of officers who went to the convention be flagged so members can review it thoroughly.
Once the error was discovered, Dalton said he felt the Navy had no choice but to inform the committee.
Sens. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., and Sam Nunn, D-Ga., the chairman and senior Democrat, respectively on the Armed Services Committee, wrote Dalton in October to say that the committee could no longer support Stumpf. But because the full Senate already had agreed to the nomination, the final decision was Dalton's.
Stumpf said Wednesday that he is preparing for legal action but has made no decision about a lawsuit to force his promotion. His name was submitted to another promotion board in January but its recommendations have not been announced.
KEYWORDS: TAILHOOK U.S. NAVY SEXUAL HARASSMENT
ASSAULT AFTERMATH by CNB