02.11.2014
Pennlive
Pennlive
Report: Naval officers, including former commander of Navy depot in Mechanicsburg, violated navy travel regulations
(Matt Miller, PennLive.com)
A former commander of the Navy depot in Mechanicsburg has been found to have had exercised poor administrative oversight over parts of his command when he took a trip with two other admirals and their wives that the Navy determined was more a pleasure trip than a business trip.
Rear Adm. Mark F. Heinrich, who between 2010 and 2012 was the commander for the Naval Supply Systems and was stationed in Mechanicsburg at the Naval Supply Systems Command, was found to have had violated naval travel regulations two years ago.
The findings of a year-long investigation by the Naval Inspector General became public this past week when The Washington Post first reported on the matter.
Heinrich and two other Navy admirals were at the center of an investigation into a trip they took to England with their spouses.
The Washington Post obtained the confidential report on the investigationafter filing a request under the Freedom of Information Act for all investigations into misconduct by admirals over the previous year.
According to the Naval Inspector General’s report, Heinrich and Rear Adms. David R. Pimpo and Donald L. Singleton violated federal travel regulations in April 2012 when they took a seven-day trip to London with their wives in what was ostensibly an official trip, but ended up being more of a social call.
Both Pimpo and Singleton served in the Mechanicsburg depot under Heinrich, and the trip took place while they were stationed at the post.
In an interview with PennLive, Navy spokeswoman Lt. Commander Sarah Flaherty said:
Rear Adm. David R. Pimpo
Pimpo and Singleton were also subject to administrative action, but no official action was taken.
Both went through the investigation and were "found to have the trust of the Navy and continue with their careers," Flaherty said. Both have become one-star admirals, she said.
The findings of the report found that neither Pimpo nor Singleton had done anything that "could jeopardize their careers."
"They continue to serve honorably in the United States Navy," Flaherty said.
The admirals stayed in London hotels that cost more than $400 a night and booked expensive flights, investigators concluded.
Rear Adm. Mark F. Heinrich
According to The Washington Post, the Naval Inspector General learned of the allegations from a whistleblower, who reported that the three “longtime pals” took along their wives and that it was perceived as “no more than a taxpayer financed vacation to London, England for six close friends to celebrate.”
At the time, two of the Navy officers had just been selected for promotion to one-star admiral, the newspaper reported.
The anonymous whistleblower challenged Navy investigators to question whether seemingly “technically legal” trip would “stand up to ‘The Washington Post Test.'"
In its conclusion of a year-long investigation, the Naval Inspector General found that the admirals may have had legitimate business in the U.K. but they overstepped their boundaries with expenses and travel arrangements. Investigators found that the wives of the admirals had not traveled at taxpayer expense.
The inspector general also found Heinrich had committed other travel-related violations, including taking a taxpayer-paid flight to visit his alma mater, the University of Kansas, for personal reasons, including attending a football game.
In a phone interview with The Washington Post, Heinrich said: “With all candor, it was never anything more than an administrative issue. I think I served with distinction and did the Navy proud.”
Rear Adm. Donald L. Singleton
Singleton is now the Pacific Fleet’s deputy chief of staff for logistics. Pimpo is now commander of the Defense Logistics Agency’s Land and Maritime office in Columbus, Ohio.
Rear Adm. Mark F. Heinrich, who between 2010 and 2012 was the commander for the Naval Supply Systems and was stationed in Mechanicsburg at the Naval Supply Systems Command, was found to have had violated naval travel regulations two years ago.
The findings of a year-long investigation by the Naval Inspector General became public this past week when The Washington Post first reported on the matter.
Heinrich and two other Navy admirals were at the center of an investigation into a trip they took to England with their spouses.
The Washington Post obtained the confidential report on the investigationafter filing a request under the Freedom of Information Act for all investigations into misconduct by admirals over the previous year.
According to the Naval Inspector General’s report, Heinrich and Rear Adms. David R. Pimpo and Donald L. Singleton violated federal travel regulations in April 2012 when they took a seven-day trip to London with their wives in what was ostensibly an official trip, but ended up being more of a social call.
Both Pimpo and Singleton served in the Mechanicsburg depot under Heinrich, and the trip took place while they were stationed at the post.
In an interview with PennLive, Navy spokeswoman Lt. Commander Sarah Flaherty said:
Rear Adm. David R. Pimpo
"As a result of the substantiated Naval Inspector General report, Rear Adm. Mark Heinrich was found to have executed poor administrative oversight and was subject to administrative action by the Navy to include submitting a plan of action to correct deficiencies in travel and reimbursement procedures for his command. Separately, Heinrich was subject to a retirement grade determination, ultimately approved by the Secretary of the Navy, which found that Rear Adm. Heinrich could retire honorably and retain his rank of Rear Admiral."
"It was never anything more than an administrative issue. I think I served with distinction and did the Navy proud. " - Rear Adm. Mark F. Heinrich
He retired in November.Pimpo and Singleton were also subject to administrative action, but no official action was taken.
Both went through the investigation and were "found to have the trust of the Navy and continue with their careers," Flaherty said. Both have become one-star admirals, she said.
The findings of the report found that neither Pimpo nor Singleton had done anything that "could jeopardize their careers."
"They continue to serve honorably in the United States Navy," Flaherty said.
The admirals stayed in London hotels that cost more than $400 a night and booked expensive flights, investigators concluded.
Rear Adm. Mark F. HeinrichAt the time, two of the Navy officers had just been selected for promotion to one-star admiral, the newspaper reported.
The anonymous whistleblower challenged Navy investigators to question whether seemingly “technically legal” trip would “stand up to ‘The Washington Post Test.'"
In its conclusion of a year-long investigation, the Naval Inspector General found that the admirals may have had legitimate business in the U.K. but they overstepped their boundaries with expenses and travel arrangements. Investigators found that the wives of the admirals had not traveled at taxpayer expense.
The inspector general also found Heinrich had committed other travel-related violations, including taking a taxpayer-paid flight to visit his alma mater, the University of Kansas, for personal reasons, including attending a football game.
In a phone interview with The Washington Post, Heinrich said: “With all candor, it was never anything more than an administrative issue. I think I served with distinction and did the Navy proud.”
Rear Adm. Donald L. Singleton
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