Jennings Resigns

The Associated Press reported on Friday December 2nd, in an article written by Robert Burns that: "A senior Pentagon official who has been under internal investigation, accused of abusive management practices, told his staff Friday he was retiring for health reasons."

"Jerry D. Jennings, 65, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for POW/MIA affairs since August 2001, was investigated this year by the Pentagon inspector general for allegations that include reprisals against subordinates and sexual harassment of a female employee. The status of the probe has not been made public and it was not immediately clear Friday what, if any, role it had in Jennings' decision to retire."

"Jennings told his staff by letter that he was retiring, effective Saturday. "It has been my utmost hope to return to full duty; however, my illness precludes my continued service," he wrote. A copy of the letter was released by his spokesman, Larry Greer. Jennings did not specify his illness, and Greer said he had no knowledge of it except that it has kept Jennings away from work since April. Greer said he did not know the status of the IG investigation."

"A spokeswoman for the IG's office, Marine Corps Lt. Col. Rose-Ann Lynch, had no immediate comment. In his letter, Jennings made no reference to the controversy."

"Jennings has been under fire by organizations that represent the interests of MIA families. Early this year the boards of directors of three leading organizations, including the oldest, the National League of POW/MIA Families, each took the unprecedented step of voting "no confidence" in Jennings and urging his removal from office."

"When The Associated Press disclosed the Pentagon's investigation of Jennings last July, he provided a written defense of his record. He wrote that he cooperated fully in the investigation and he declined to comment directly on the accusations, saying the inspector general asked that no one comment until the probe was completed...."

"Jennings held a variety of posts in the Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush administrations from 1973 to 1992 - none related to POW or MIA issues. He was deputy director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency from 1990-92. An official biography says he was a CIA officer from 1965-68."

Dear Santa:

Please, please, please bring us an Assistant Deputy Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs, who is more interested in investigating the fate of our POWs and MIAs than how many frequent flyer miles he can rack up.

Bring us a man or woman, with an open mind, who doesn't care about politics. Bring us a man or woman, with a working knowledge of the POW issue. Bring us a man or woman strong enough to really take charge of DPMO and not bow to the well-entrenched cadre of closed-minded debunkers. Bring us a man or woman who will see that reports of live POWs, like the one sitting in DPMO since 1998 are actually investigated.

Santa, bring us a man or woman who will not only allow investigators to investigate but encourage it. Bring us a man or woman who will listen to the families, when they unearth new documentation, as they are truly the experts on their family members cases.

Santa, please bring us a man or woman of courage and integrity whose only concern will be the return of live Prisoner of War and a truthful accounting of the Missing.

Santa, please bring us a man or woman to lead DPMO, a man or woman the likes of which have never been seen in that corner office.

Santa, we've waited a very long time.

Mom, Dad,
Wife,
Sister, Brother,
Daughter, Son,
Granddaughter, Grandson, and
Extended Family of Our Prisoners of War, and Missing in Action
World War II, Korea, Cold War, Vietnam, and Gulf Wars

Happy Holidays
and
lets hope 2006 brings us
our live POWs and
competent leadership at DPMO