Letter Accepting the
Resignation of James H. Webb, Jr., as Secretary of the Navy
Dear
Jim:
It
is with regret that I accept your resignation as Secretary of the Navy,
effective
During
the past four years, you have served our country with honor and courage, just
as you have throughout your distinguished career. As my first Assistant
Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, you played a major role in
revitalizing the reserve components of our Armed Forces. You were instrumental
in restoring confidence and pride in one of our most noble national traditions
-- the concept of the American citizen-soldier.
Since
taking the helm a year ago as Secretary of the Navy, you continued to press
forward the highest standards of excellence throughout the Navy and Marine
Corps. From the most remote outposts to the lecture halls of
As
your service to this Administration comes to a close, I want to thank you for
the selflessness and loyalty that you have always personified. In the end, it
is these qualities that will ensure that freedom endures in this generation and
in every generation to come.
Godspeed in all your endeavors.
Sincerely,
Ronald
Reagan
Dear
Mr. President:
Over
the past three months the Department of Defense has been struggling to
implement a mandated 33 billion dollar reduction of the FY 89 budget approved
by you last year. The Navy Department was directed to absorb a significant
share of this reduction, which eventually became approximately 12 billion
dollars.
Like
many others, I have serious concerns regarding the entire budget reduction
process. First, the Department of Defense has been required to absorb cuts at a
ratio almost twice as great as non-defense programs. Second, many Defense
reductions themselves have been made in the wrong areas, and without clear
strategic thought. I am particularly upset with the nature of the cuts as they
affect the Department under my authority.
On
three separate occasions, the uniformed and civilian leadership of the Navy
Department provided the Secretary of Defense with proposed cuts totaling the
amount required to meet the budget reduction, but which also would preserve the
cherished goal of your administration to rebuild our Navy to a minimum level of
600 ships. In each case the advice of this senior leadership, concurred in by
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was ignored. I can only conclude that the decision
to reduce the level of our fleet to a point that it may never reach the 600
ship goal was motivated by other than military and strategic reasoning.
During
the four years I have served in your Administration, I have repeatedly
expressed my gratitude at your decision to rebuild the greatest Navy in the
world. Since I became Secretary of the Navy last year, I have stated just as
frequently my belief that the force levels of our sea services remain minimal
and must not be reduced. Even in the current budget environment such force
levels could have been maintained. Since recommendations to that effect were
rejected by your Secretary of Defense, I am unable to support him personally,
or to defend this amended budget during budget deliberations. Consequently, I
find it necessary to resign from my position as Secretary of the Navy.
Thank
you for the opportunity to have served our country during four of our nation's
most critical and productive years.
Respectfully
yours,
James
H. Webb, Jr.