Article

2008-06-24 Fifth Column

Levin Moves To Block Nomination Of Adm. Elizabeth Hight

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Posted by 3dc 2008-06-24 17:57|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 wish Levin would put as much ethical thought and concern into the members of the Senate Banking Committee and their conflicts of interest

*cough* Dodd, Conrad *cough*

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-06-24 19:51|| 2008-06-24 19:51|| Front Page Top

#2 Well, they need someone to clean out DISA. It is about as efficient as congress at the moment.

Posted by DarthVader">DarthVader 2008-06-24 20:09|| 2008-06-24 20:09|| Front Page Top

#3 DISA's op tempo has been a killer the last 7 years and especially the last 4. Not just with the explosive growth in demand for battlefield tactical networks, and with starting to implement the global information grid, but also and especially with info assurance attacks from a variety of sources (cough China, etc. etc.).

They've gotten sub-tactical in focus, which is understandable but also a danger. And personnel are stretched thin ....

Posted by lotp 2008-06-24 20:14|| 2008-06-24 20:14|| Front Page Top

#4 ...Normally I wouldn't give Senator Levin the time of day - I had an up close and personal view of how he treats the military many years ago. But in this case, I gotta agree with him. By all accounts Admiral Hight is an honest and upright officer in the best traditions of the Naval Service, but the appearance of a potential conflict was just way too great.
Now - let's talk to the idiot who nominated the Admiral in the first place...

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2008-06-24 20:17|| 2008-06-24 20:17|| Front Page Top

#5 Mike, DISA desperately needs the expertise and leadership of this woman. That's why she was nominated.

DISA is really stretched right now. I can see why the Pentagon would find it really important to utilize a proven leader who is technically competent, respected not only within DISA but within the services who resisted the creation of that agency. And who can rally an over-stretched workforce doing a really mission-critical job.

Posted by lotp 2008-06-24 20:22|| 2008-06-24 20:22|| Front Page Top

#6 Did I mention 'really'?? LOL

really meant it, tho ....

Posted by lotp 2008-06-24 20:23|| 2008-06-24 20:23|| Front Page Top

#7 Her promotion to the director's job would have made her a three-star vice admiral, of which there are currently only two women, out of a total of 34.

~~Qualifications~~ motivation for initial nomination clearly identified.

Posted by Besoeker 2008-06-24 20:26|| 2008-06-24 20:26|| Front Page Top

#8 And, in the midst of all this, they're uprooting DISA in N. VA and moving the whole Sha-Bang to rural N.E. Maryland...Totally destabilizing and inefficient. Just the sort of out-of-the-box thinking we've come to expect from a GIG-think DOD.

Posted by Asymmetrical Triangulation 2008-06-24 20:39|| 2008-06-24 20:39|| Front Page Top

#9 Cheap shot, Besoeker.

Posted by Deacon Blues">Deacon Blues 2008-06-24 21:02|| 2008-06-24 21:02|| Front Page Top

#10 Deacon: After the Darleen Druyan scandal with Boeing, and a few other recent scandals, this selection should have never passed the sniff test. Admiral Hights spouse's BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT postion at NG should have removed her from the short-list long before it became a news item. Political correctness should never trump conflict of interest, or the perception of conflict of interest. Just my take on it mate.

Posted by Barak 2008-06-24 21:28|| 2008-06-24 21:28|| Front Page Top

#11 motivation for initial nomination clearly identified.

Hight is also second in command at DISA. She was supported for the move-up by the current head of DISA.

Three stupid comments in less than two weeks. I bet you'll end up with an even dozen before the month is out.

Posted by Pappy 2008-06-24 21:31|| 2008-06-24 21:31|| Front Page Top

#12 Lt. Col. Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed the nomination had been withdrawn, "to prevent any perceived conflict of interest due to her husband's current position within the defense industry."

But at least Admiral Hight now knows exactly how highly her commander and her organization think of her. That's worth a great deal.

Posted by trailing wife ">trailing wife 2008-06-24 21:52|| 2008-06-24 21:52|| Front Page Top

#13 So DOD loses a badly needed leader in a critical agency because we haven't figured out how to be smart about senior women.

Wonderful.

I can think of a couple of other approaches that would have worked here, including indpendent review of any bid awards to her husband's company.

But once again redacted attitudes like Besoeker's win and the country loses.

Ask me if I'm pissed.

Posted by lotp 2008-06-24 22:05|| 2008-06-24 22:05|| Front Page Top

#14 I wonder what an investigation of DoD contracts to Senator Feinstein's husband will reveal?

Posted by Gomez Cravins9023 2008-06-24 22:07|| 2008-06-24 22:07|| Front Page Top

#15 Nonsense. Charlie Croom is an old boss of mine. He's one of the brightest stars to ever wear the Air Force uniform. DISA may not be perfect, but it does its job pretty well and has adapted well to emerging demands under Charlie.

As for Levin, he was my senator and has long struck me as a partisanly congenital moron.

Posted by Black Charlie Unurt7863 2008-06-24 22:42|| 2008-06-24 22:42|| Front Page Top

#16 Robin - that's nonsense. Regardless of their personal qualities, the relationship stinks if the projected positions comes about.

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-06-24 23:52|| 2008-06-24 23:52|| Front Page Top

23:52 Frank G
23:42 FOTSGreg
23:41 3dc
23:06 one eyed wolf
22:51 Anonymoose
22:49 RD
22:46 trailing wife
22:43 trailing wife
22:43 RD
22:42 Black Charlie Unurt7863
22:39 trailing wife
22:35 GolfBravoUSMC
22:32 RD
22:18 lotp
22:18 trailing wife
22:09 trailing wife
22:07 Gomez Cravins9023
22:06 trailing wife
22:05 lotp
22:01 Eric Jablow
21:52 trailing wife
21:50 Frank G
21:48 trailing wife
21:44 trailing wife