Posted on 11/01/2017 11:16:41 PM PDT by pboyington
Our service academies have been in the news for the failure of students and faculty to meet standards. In an apparent effort to get around Congress failure to provide enough money to the Naval Academy through increased funding from charities, USNA has violated U.S. law and U.S. and DoD regulations. USNA also controls a charity to ensure better support for its varsity sports.
Leadership:
Based upon the USNAs example, midshipmen learn its okay to break laws and regulations if it brings in more money and support for your command.
Charities provide about $100M each year in gifts for or support of USNA programs.
A few of USNAs violations of law and regulations based upon FOIA responses.
USNA charters midshipmen organizations that solicit money in the Federal workplace for a charity that then provides money to USNA.
USNA puts Appropriated Funds into Non-Appropriated Fund accounts with instructions for excess funds to be given to a charity that then provides money to USNA for unrestricted purposes.
Using government resources, the SUPE mails Navy Federal Credit Union membership applications to prospective Mids but only for NFCU. He tells them to return them to the Academy without delay. ~100% of the 1200 new Mids become NFCU members. Their pay is deposited with NFCU. NFCU advertisements support varsity athletics. (Is the SUPE an NFCU member?)
USNA uses official websites to link to charities and commercial businesses that give money or support to USNA programs.
USNA allows midshipmen in uniform to be photographed to support the fundraising activities of charities donating to USNA.
USNA controls a charity by appointing a majority of its Board of Directors. The charity is able to raise funds and support USNA varsity sports in ways USNA is not allowed to do. The appointments are made in violation of U.S. law and DoD regulations.
During official business while representing USNA, the SUPE and midshipmen wear the logo of a commercial business that supports USNA varsity sports.
USNA uses volunteers to accomplish government purposes not authorized by the Anti-Deficiency Act. USNA also violates the ADA by not having liability waivers signed by the volunteers.
USNA provides charities with highly sensitive Privacy Act information that requires special access and storage. They strip the sensitive markings from the records and use the information to provide money and better athletes to USNA. They dont provide required protection and USNA doesnt ensure their personnel are trained or that records are properly maintained. The Navy allows charities providing USNA with money and support to use the USNA Seal online and in correspondence. It allows them to use the USNA name or abbreviation without this required disclaimer: THIS IS A NON-FEDERAL ENTITY. IT IS NOT A PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OR ANY OF ITS COMPONENTS AND IT HAS NO GOVERNMENTAL STATUS.
The Naval Academy is unable to document its Mission Effectiveness
USNAs Mission: to graduate leaders who are dedicated to a career of naval service and have potential for future development to assume the highest responsibilities of command .
USNA is required to establish quantified goals and measures linked to the above statement and to annually evaluate its performance.
In FOIA responses, USNA states that it hasnt developed the metrics to measure the effectiveness of its stated mission.
USNA should be able to answer these questions but is unable to:
Are USNA graduates better leaders or better career officers than past graduates?
Are USNA graduates better leaders or better career officers than those officers produced at a fraction of the cost from NROTC and OCS programs?
Have USNAs program changes produced graduates who are better leaders or better career officers than past graduates?
The CNO told his commanders that what you acceptwhat you walk pastthat is your standard . If it doesnt measure up, we need to stop, fix that and dont move on until it does meet our standard.
If the Superintendent, a 3-Star Admiral reporting directly to the CNO, hasnt taken corrective action, why think the rest of the Navy will comply? 1000 midshipmen a year graduate to become leaders of our sailors but USNA taught them the wrong ethics lesson.
Its time for DoD to require a thorough investigation of the relationships between USNA and its supporting charities and put a stop to USNAs violations of laws and regulations.
Its clear that Admiral Farraguts message has gotten garbled at USNA:
Damn the regulations! Full moneybags instead!
It reads like the author bilged out and carries a grudge.
the appropriate funds into un-appropriated accounts getting funneled to charities for washing is an issue... but yeah a lot of the other stuff is penny-anty nonsense that has come up through the years as a way to support programs for the Midshipmen.
The one that always ticked me off was the bad looks from commands (USNA-ships-shore commands - didn’t matter) if you decided not to give any money for the Combined Federal Campaign. I think they finally fixed that when they said if you mark no it isn’t counted against the commands numbers for participation - it only counts against if they don’t get any paper back now. But that was all branches.
He didn't bilge out (he's a retired Bubblehead), but does, as an insider, seem to have a chip on his shoulder and wants to be seen as a whistleblower. His main beef, I believe, is with the NAAA, its control of Navy athletics, and the accession of athletes through NAPS and the Naval Academy Foundation prep school program. A (take it with a block of salt) NYT article:
"Navy Opens a Back Door, And In Come Athletes And Victories"
He's in Proceedings and other places with the same mantra. Claims he wants USNA to exist, but questions its "best value" proposition over ROTC or OCS...the usual B.S. for decades.
USNA Alum
The entire article is stupid. I want military officers who get the job done. If they lack the resources, they should find what they need elsewhere, in any legal manner. Those are good traits for a military leader, not flaws.
‘Prospective’ Midshipmen. I read that as HS students who have expressed some interest in applying through the appointment process.
Hasn’t he ever heard of Comshaw? That’s how most divisions used to get extra supplies ...
If the author's primary concern is lowered standards for athletes or for the sake of diversity...he's probably got a valid point. But broadside attacks on the entire institution aren't going to win him any allies in that fight.
As a USNA alum, I heartily agree.
And his article appears to be timed for publication just prior to the Thursday Navy-Temple game, to be nationally televised on ESPN.
Ditto. And I was going to flame, bilge, and agree with him on the lack of metrics.
Perhaps it’s anecdotal, but I am still irked by a sense that the Navy is first in line with every stupid social engineering program, and that the millennial Mids are right with them. Have to ask my classmates teaching there now.
Phinneous, ‘95
The Supe has so much influence, and I frankly have zero confidence in anyone approved by Ray Mabus. Hopefully, there will be a bit of tightening up when the influence of Mattis has more time to percolate down.
Class of ‘84.
I'm not so sure the USNA is first in line as the USAFA is right there, neck and neck, trying to implement every bad PC piece of BS known to man.
My kid sister is a prof @ the USNA. Your assessment is true from what she tells (she's a far left dingbat and she's ok with it).
I thought the armed forces could weather the predations of the Left, but after eight years of a Communist usurper at the helm, I have my doubts. Combined with an educational system that preaches a constant drumbeat of American malevolence, it’s a wonder there are still enough patriots to fill the ranks (barely).
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