[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 59 (Thursday, March 30, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4937-S4938]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                          MILITARY NOMINATIONS

 Mr. THURMOND. Mr. President, the Senate Armed Services 
Committee favorably reported the nomination of Vice Adm. Joseph R. 
Prueher for promotion to the grade of admiral and assignment as Vice 
Chief of Naval Operations.
  [[Page S4938]] I ask that a joint statement from Senator Nunn and me 
concerning this nomination be printed in the Record.
  The joint statement follows:

Joint Statement of Senator Strom Thurmond, Chairman of the Senate Armed 
    Services Committee and Senator Sam Nunn, Ranking Minority Member

       The Committee on Armed Services has reported favorably the 
     nomination of Vice Admiral Joseph R. Prueher for promotion to 
     the 4-star grade of Admiral, to serve as the Vice Chief of 
     Naval Operations.
       Admiral Prueher has had a distinguished career. He is a 
     graduate of the Naval Academy (with distinction). As a naval 
     aviator, he served in Southeast Asia aboard U.S.S. Kitty 
     Hawk, as a naval flight instructor at the Naval Air Test 
     Center in Patuxent River, Maryland, and as Executive 
     Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy. More recently, he 
     served as Commander, Carrier Group One in San Diego, CA, 
     where he was responsible for training battle groups preparing 
     to deploy to the Western Pacific and the Arabian Gulf. In 
     this capacity, he led the development of Maritime Joint 
     Forces Air Component Commander capabilities for the Pacific 
     theater. Today, he serves as the Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet 
     in the Mediterranean Sea and as the Commander of NATO's 
     Striking and Support Forces Southern Europe. As Commander 
     Sixth Fleet, he has directed the execution of the Navy and 
     Marine Corps multi-mission role in the Adriatic Sea and 
     former Yugoslavia in United States and allied operations in 
     support of the United Nations. His awards include the Legion 
     of Merit (three Gold Stars in lieu of subsequent awards), the 
     Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with two Gold 
     Stars in lieu of subsequent awards.
       From 1989 to 1991, he served as Commandant of Midshipman at 
     the United States Naval Academy. During his period as 
     Commandant, there was a well-publicized incident in which a 
     female midshipman, Gwen Dreyer, was mistreated by her male 
     colleagues. A number of the midshipmen involved in the 
     incident were disciplined, though none were dismissed from 
     the Academy. The responsibility for the investigation and 
     action on the investigation was vested in the Superintendent 
     of the Academy, Vice Admiral Virgil Hill. Admiral Prueher, as 
     Commandant of Midshipmen, was in the chain of command, under 
     which he exercised certain responsibilities with respect to 
     the investigation and subsequent action.
       On April 28, 1992, he was nominated for promotion. The 
     Committee began its normal review process when matters of 
     this nature are involved in a nomination. While the 
     nomination was under review, the President withdrew a number 
     of nominations on September 9, 1992, including the nomination 
     of Admiral Prueher. The Committee understood this was as a 
     result of changes in Navy personnel requirements, and to 
     provide an opportunity for further review in the Executive 
     Branch of the Prueher nomination with respect to the issues 
     that had been identified.
       On March 15, 1993, the President resubmitted the Prueher 
     nomination for promotion to Rear Admiral. Over the next five 
     months, the Committee reviewed the materials related to the 
     manner in which the incident was handled at the Naval 
     Academy, including the views of the Secretary of the Navy 
     endorsing the nomination. A copy of the Secretary's letter is 
     included at the end of this statement. On August 6, 1993, the 
     Committee considered and favorably reported the nomination. 
     The promotion to Rear Admiral was confirmed by the Senate on 
     August 3, 1993. Rear Admiral Prueher was subsequently 
     nominated for promotion to Vice Admiral on November 5, 1993. 
     His nomination was favorably reported to the Senate on 
     November 18, 1993, and was confirmed by the Senate on 
     November 19, 1993. The material concerning the Committee's 
     previous consideration of the Prueher nomination is retained 
     in the executive files of the Committee. It is available for 
     review by any Senator upon request.
     

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