THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, August 3, 1996 TAG: 9608030363
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF AND WIRE REPORT
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 56 lines
A former Navy SEAL who was punished after reporting safety violations in his elite commando unit will get back his SEAL ``trident'' pin and $4,800 in special-duty pay withheld during his final year in the service.
The decision ends a 15-month oddysey for Matt Napiltonia, a former member of SEAL Team 8 at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, who reported a safety breach to his Navy bosses and was stripped of his trident and put to work pushing a mop.
Napiltonia learned of the Navy's decision Thursday in a letter from Bernard D. Rostker, assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs.
Rostker wrote that after reviewing recent findings by the Naval inspector general, he has ordered that the May 1, 1995, removal of Napiltonia's trident be purged from his personnel record.
He also said Napiltonia will receive all special-duty pay he would have earned between that date and his May 15, 1996, honorable discharge.
``Quite frankly, I'm kind of upset at the whole situation,'' Napiltonia, 24, said from his Harrisburg, Pa., home. ``In one light, everything's over with, and there's finally closure to it. I can finally close this chapter of my life.
``I lost my job. But ultimately, the Navy made it right,'' said Napiltonia, a Republican candidate for the 104th District seat in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Napiltonia's troubles began when he went to his boss, Cmdr. Keith P. Carl, with concerns over an explosion during a 1994 training exercise in which another team member was injured.
Carl placed Napiltonia on custodial duty, pulled his security clearance and took away his SEAL pin. He also ordered Napiltonia to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
Napiltonia, a combat-decorated sniper, spent his final year in the Navy cleaning barracks for his Sea-Air-Land commando unit.
The Navy inspector general wrote in a June 26 report that Carl mishandled the matter. Vice Adm. James Fitzgerald faulted Carl for dismissing Napiltonia's allegations too quickly and for being too willing to allow subordinates to discredit Napiltonia. Carl now is assigned to the Joint Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.
In the accident, a member of Napiltonia's platoon, Greg Farmerie, was burned in the groin when an improperly modified flare was fired without warning during training at Fort Pickett.
Napiltonia said platoon leaders tried to cover up the accident. A subsequent investigation confirmed the modification to the flare, a false report on the explosion and other safety violations. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Matthew Napiltonia, an ex-SEAL at Little Creek Naval Amphibious
Base, was put to work with a mop.
KEYWORDS: U.S. NAVY SEAL by CNB