Bush Nominee for Navy Secretary Commits Suicide

Reuters via Yahoo! ^ | Friday, July 25, 2003 | Reuters

[Momaw Nadon]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush's nominee to be secretary of the Navy, oil executive Colin McMillan, died on Thursday of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, the New Mexico medical examiners offices said.

McMillan, 67, died at his ranch in southern New Mexico.

"The manner of death was suicide," said Tim Stepetic, associate director of New Mexico's Office of the Medical Investigator. "Mr. McMillan died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head." Scot Key, a state district attorney in Alamogordo, New Mexico, said his office was looking into reports that McMillan may have had a recurrence of cancer. A spokesman for McMillan's family said the nominee had been treated for cancer of the jaw.

Bush sent "condolences and prayers" to McMillan's family and friends. "Colin was a public servant and patriot who served his country and state," the president said in a statement.

New Mexico's senior senator, Republican Pete Domenici, a longtime friend of McMillan, paid tribute to him in remarks on the floor of the Senate and in a subsequent statement.

"This is one that you would never believe, even when you are told it's true," Domenici said of McMillan's death.

"He will be missed by so many people. He leaves us at a relatively young age; his successes are many," Domenici said.

Bush nominated McMillan on May 7 to replace Gordon England, who stepped down as Navy secretary in January to become deputy secretary of the new Department of Homeland Security.

McMillan was chairman of Permian Exploration Corp., which specializes in oil and gas exploration. In 1990, he was appointed by Bush's father, then-President George Bush, to serve as assistant secretary of defense, a position he held until 1992.

A funeral is set for Monday in Roswell, said Roswell Mayor Bill Owen, who is also a spokesman for the McMillan family.

"It is a difficult time and the family will have many difficult days and weeks and months ahead," Owen said. (With additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Dallas)

[squidly]

What is it with the Navy brass? First Boorda, and now this guy.

[Squantos]

Proof again that he who dies with the most toys is.........................dead.

Stay Safe !

[the Deejay]

"Is Fort Marcy Park anywhere near New Mexico?"

LOL! No.

[LasVegasMac]

He's dead, Jim!

LVM

[Jeff Gordon]

Did this guy have a grudge with the Navy SEALs?

[NewRomeTacitus]

I hope Marcinko has an airtight alibi.

[Sloth]

Does the Senate have to confirm this position? If so, let's blame Tom Daschle.

[Magic Fingers]

"What is it with the Navy brass? First Boorda, and now this guy."

Yeah, two guys in past 7 years. What a trend.

[Archangelsk]

Let the conspiracy theories begin!

He was a depressed man who took his own life because of his internal demons. Let it go.

[Archangelsk]

Boorda was accused of wearing medals he shouldn't have. That's a pretty high charge in the service.

[squidly]

Boorda was accused of wearing medals he shouldn't have. That's a pretty high charge in the service.

Sure, but shooting himself in the heart?

[mdittmar]

Ditto.

[FairOpinion]

I read in another article, that he had cancer and it has returned.

[Archangelsk]

Take a plastic, non-functional handgun turn it around so your thumb is on the trigger and grip the handgrips. You'll see it can be done. Please don't become a Darwin award winner by using a real handgun!.

[squidly]

Take a plastic, non-functional handgun turn it around so your thumb is on the trigger and grip the handgrips. You'll see it can be done.

Yes, I understand the process, thank you, but I do not understand the reasoning that led up to it. I know it's not my place to understand, because in the end it is NOMB, but having a CNO and a SecNav kill themselves in a seven year span is something we don't see in the other services. My "what's with the Navy" comment was more a statement of befuddlement than anything.

[PianoMan]

(With additional reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Dallas)

Incidentally, notice the additional tagline. How interesting!

[AngrySpud]

Domenici: "He leaves us at a relatively young age."

67 is relatively young? How old is Domenici? Eighty-five?

[Glenn]

67 is relatively young? How old is Domenici? Eighty-five?

We oldies take solace in the fact:

Your day will come (if you survive it).

[AngrySpud]

I'm 50, and expect to live to 90-plus. All the men in my family live long lives, even when they don't take care of themselves.

[Glenn]

All the men in my family live long lives, even when they don't take care of themselves.

Then why, on Earth, would you question his age as being "young"?