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Command Master Chief Under Scrutiny
Her boisterous personality makes people notice Command Master Chief (AW/SW) Evelyn Banks anywhere she goes, but after she arrived at the Naval Academy in 2007, people began paying attention to something else.According to multiple sources, Banks was living in one of the largest houses on the Yard, normally reserved for an O-6. She traveled the world, flying across the U.S. and even to Africa, in an academy ambassador role her predecessors never had. She threw lavish parties and gave extravagant gifts. Before long, someone in Annapolis complained to the Naval Inspector General. Banks, who became the command master chief of Naval Sea Systems Command on June 21, could not be reached for comment for this story; a spokeswoman said Banks was traveling. Most names are redacted in the copy of the IG report released to Navy Times under the Freedom of Information Act, but two sources with knowledge of the investigation confirmed that many parts of it described Banks and helped link the relevant sections to her. The document also refers to the CMC; the command master chief; and an academy leader who had established a strong working relationship with academy superintendent Vice Adm. Jeffrey Fowler when they both served at Navy Recruiting Command, which was Banks assignment before the academy. The IG did not conclude that Banks lifestyle was illegal, but investigators questioned the rate at which she spent money in her first year on the job $32,000 for catered events at her quarters; $3,088 for dinners in restaurants; and $62,680 on gifts and mementos. Overall, between August 2007 and December 2008, Banks spent almost $113,000 just on keepsakes and entertaining. Record-keeping for all of her spending was poor, the IG found, and, although not against the law, investigators said Banks activities pushed the limits of what was appropriate for the schools senior enlisted leader. One example was a dinner party for Banks womens outreach program that cost $1,811, or about $259 per person. It is unlikely that the [Naval Academy] could reasonably justify the use of over $1,800 of unrestricted gift funds to serve dinner to seven people, particularly with the service of alcoholic beverages, as being necessary to carry out any official function, investigators wrote. Conclusion: We find that gift funds were misspent on this unnecessary and expensive entertainment of employees and their spouses. Likewise with a Labor Day womens retreat for senior enlisted women and officers that cost $1,613, including $289 for drinks. There is no evidence of any relationship between the mission of [the Naval Academy] and the hosting of a retreat for a few select senior female service members to discuss issues impacting women in the Navy, the report said. The report does not include an interview with Banks, but investigators did ask Fowler about her spending. He defended it. Not only was it his prerogative to authorize members of his command to use money however he saw fit, Banks the academys first black female master chief had a larger mission to help the Navy appeal to blacks and women. Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-07-14 |
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