Posted on 07/07/2004 12:41:56 PM PDT by TexKat
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush will nominate defense industry veteran Francis Harvey to be secretary of the Army, a service grappling with the Iraqi prison abuse scandal and extended troop deployments in Iraq, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.
Harvey was recommended to the White House by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. If confirmed by the Senate, he would take over for Les Brownlee, who has served as acting Army secretary since Thomas White quit abruptly in April.
A former executive at Westinghouse Electric Corp., Harvey was nominated last November to be an assistant secretary of defense to oversee the military's communications systems.
Harvey's confirmation by the full Senate for the Pentagon job has been delayed, along with several other nominees, in a dispute over a plan for the Air Force to lease refueling planes from Boeing Co.
The administration was not expected to nominate Harvey as Army secretary until after the November presidential election. The decision underscores the importance the White House places on moving beyond the Iraqi prison abuse scandal and preparing the Army for a major restructuring of the service.
White, a former executive of Enron Corp., resigned from the Army's top civilian job after public clashes with Rumsfeld over several issues.
Undated file photo of former Westinghouse executive Francis J. Harvey who was nominated Wednesday, July 7, 2004 by President Bush to become Army secretary. Harvey would replace Thomas E. White, who resigned under pressure last year after repeated clashes with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. (AP Photo/Westinghouse)
Which branch of the military did he serve under, in what capacity and for how long?
I don't know that he ever served in the Armed Forces, but it doesn't matter. He's going to be the CIVILIAN advisor on military matters. Basically, he's the first contact point between the military command structure and the civilian government. Some of our best secretaries have never served in a military capacity.
Oh yes it does matter...I don't want to hear anything about "Old Chestnuts" (Dick Cheney talk about the sodomy policy) because the guy never served and does not understand the dynamics of the battlefield or the barracks
He's going to be the CIVILIAN advisor on military matters. Basically, he's the first contact point between the military command structure and the civilian government.
Gee, thanks for lettings all of us know who didn't understand what The Secretary of the Army does.
Some of our best secretaries have never served in a military capacity
Please provide some example of folks who can measure up to the likes of James Webb or John Connally.
All I remember is dirtbags like Clifford Alexander and Sean "Tailhook", the accountant that Bush Iput in charge of the Navy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.