PHUKET: The head of US naval intelligence has not been able to view classified information for an entire year because of a multi-million dollar scandal involving Phuket.
Vice Admiral Ted Branch, the director of naval intelligence, had his security clearance suspended in November 2013 after being investigated for possible misconduct over the Glenn Defense Marine Asia affair.
In the year since, reports navytimes.com, no charges have been filed and there is no sense of when they might be, leaving the Navy in an untenable situation.
''If classified information is being discussed at a meeting, the director of naval intelligence has to leave the room,'' reports the online site. ''If Branch drops by a subordinate's office, the space must be sanitised of any secrets before he enters.''
A source who spoke on background because he was not authorised to speak to the media told navytimes.com that Branch cannot attend morning intelligence briefs, or sit with the other services' intel chiefs when they meet with the Director of National Intelligence.
The US Justice Department is continuing to investigate Glenn Marine and its CEO, ''Fat Leonard'' Glenn Francis, who is accused of bribing Navy officers to steer ships to ports where he allegedly overcharged the Navy in exchange for junkets, prostitutes and tickets to shows.
Phuket is one of the ports that Francis is said to have preferred because of the ease with which invoices for the US Navy could be falsified.
Branch was previously in charge of the US aircraft carrier Nimitz on visits around Asia from 2004 to 2007. USS Nimitz visited Phuket in January, 2010 and again in May 2013.
Francis was known for targeting senior officers and supply officers with gifts, often putting them in an awkward position by sending expensive cigars or bottles of champagne, some officers have said.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told the media in December: ''I think it's fair to say that there will be more disclosures coming in GDMA. What kind of disclosures those are, I'm not at liberty to say.''
No information has come to light yet about any direct connections Phuket may have with the scandal, although investigators are known to have questioned people on the holiday island.
Vice Admiral Ted Branch, the director of naval intelligence, had his security clearance suspended in November 2013 after being investigated for possible misconduct over the Glenn Defense Marine Asia affair.
In the year since, reports navytimes.com, no charges have been filed and there is no sense of when they might be, leaving the Navy in an untenable situation.
''If classified information is being discussed at a meeting, the director of naval intelligence has to leave the room,'' reports the online site. ''If Branch drops by a subordinate's office, the space must be sanitised of any secrets before he enters.''
A source who spoke on background because he was not authorised to speak to the media told navytimes.com that Branch cannot attend morning intelligence briefs, or sit with the other services' intel chiefs when they meet with the Director of National Intelligence.
The US Justice Department is continuing to investigate Glenn Marine and its CEO, ''Fat Leonard'' Glenn Francis, who is accused of bribing Navy officers to steer ships to ports where he allegedly overcharged the Navy in exchange for junkets, prostitutes and tickets to shows.
Phuket is one of the ports that Francis is said to have preferred because of the ease with which invoices for the US Navy could be falsified.
Branch was previously in charge of the US aircraft carrier Nimitz on visits around Asia from 2004 to 2007. USS Nimitz visited Phuket in January, 2010 and again in May 2013.
Francis was known for targeting senior officers and supply officers with gifts, often putting them in an awkward position by sending expensive cigars or bottles of champagne, some officers have said.
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus told the media in December: ''I think it's fair to say that there will be more disclosures coming in GDMA. What kind of disclosures those are, I'm not at liberty to say.''
No information has come to light yet about any direct connections Phuket may have with the scandal, although investigators are known to have questioned people on the holiday island.
How the heck can he be in this position? How can he do his job?
Posted by Jsmith on November 4, 2014 21:27