
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, October 5, 1993                   TAG: 9310050207
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Medium

NAVY BOSS DOESN'T GET HOOK

Defense Secretary Les Aspin rejected the advice of the Navy's civilian leader and decided Monday not to fire the service's No. 1 officer, Adm. Frank Kelso , for his handling of the Tailhook sexual harassment scandal.

Navy Secretary John Dalton had recommended to Aspin that Kelso be dismissed for failing to provide leadership during the scandal arising from the 1991 Tailhook convention of naval aviators, at which scores of women were sexually harassed or assaulted.

Kelso is not accused of participating in the mayhem.

"An evaluation of his record under the criteria you have offered does not suggest to me that he should be asked to retire," Aspin wrote in a memorandum to Dalton on Monday.

Kelso later told reporters he believed he could continue working with Dalton.

"We have a partnership to lead the Navy," Kelso said as he left the Pentagon on one of the most remarkable days of his 38-year career in the seafaring service.

"I have a real desire to continue to serve the nation as the uniformed leader of the Navy," he said when asked why he wanted to stay after Dalton tried to oust him. He said he and Dalton had met Monday and discussed the problem.

Remarking on Aspin's decision in his own written statement, Dalton said, "I understand his reasoning, respect his views and support his decision."

At the same time, Dalton reiterated his view that the Navy's senior leadership must be held accountable for failing to head off the Tailhook scandal.

"I believe that the damage done to the Navy's reputation by the incidents of Tailhook could have been prevented or minimized by aggressive leadership and foresight by senior Navy officials," Dalton wrote.

Aspin also ordered Dalton to clarify his recommendation that disciplinary action be taken against an unspecified number of other Navy admirals and Marine Corps generals who attended the Tailhook convention in a Las Vegas hotel. It has been reported that Dalton recommended action against a dozen senior officers, although Aspin in his letter to Dalton on Monday made no mention of numbers or types of punishment.

by CNB