Date:    Fri, 20 Sep 1996 08:17:23 -0400 (EDT)
From:    ADM Charles Larson
To:      All Mids in the Brigade
         All Non-Midshipmen 
Subject: SUPE'S MESSAGE 
To the Brigade, Faculty and Staff,
	I want to keep you updated on my continuing efforts to ensure the
Naval Academy's story is told honestly and accurately.  I meant what I
said in my letter to the Baltimore Sun.  As you can tell from reading it,
I was very upset at the article they ran.  Coming on the heels of other
negative stories that have appeared in the paper, I felt compelled to
respond.
	It is always a good idea to put letters such as this one in your
top right drawer and take a day or two to decide whether you really want
to send it.
	After re-reading my letter, I realized that although it was
accurate, it might be misconstrued.  In the best interest of the Navy,
Naval Academy and you, the Brigade of Midshipmen, I have called the editor
of the Baltimore Sun, Mr. John Carroll, and asked him not to run my 
letter.  Instead, I asked to meet with an editor and reporter from the 
Sun.  This has been done.  We discussed the facts in this case and how we 
might work together better in the future.  
	I realize the editors and reporters of the Baltimore Sun, like us, 
are professionals and have a job to do.     
	The Naval Academy will be better off in the long run by working 
with the media, including the Baltimore Sun, rather than creating a 
potentially hostile relationship.  The media is responsible for informing 
the American public and, although it is our responsibility to hold them 
accountable for their product, it is also our responsibility to work with 
them and provide them with the most accurate and thorough information
possible.  
	One of the reasons that we make the news when there is an incident 
at the Academy is that the American people have such a high expectation of 
us.  This expectation will continue, and therefore, any future incident 
will be newsworthy.  It is all of our responsibility to continue to remind 
people of the impressive, intelligent, committed and honorable people that
serve here.
	About the incident itself, I want to be very clear.  Faced with a 
largely unprecedented situation, the fact that the alleged crime was 
committed before the young woman was in the Navy and that the Navy had no 
jurisdiction, I made a commander's call that it would be appropriate to 
work directly with the Texas authorities to quickly and efficiently 
resolve this case.  We proceeded to ascertain whether local police 
departments had a report of an incident like that the midshipman had 
described.  I informed my chain of command as to what I was doing.  I did 
not realize that there was a Department of the Navy instruction directing 
that such a matter be referred to NCIS.  In retrospect, I should have 
called the NCIS.  For the record, I noted that when I realized this, on my 
own initiative, I called the Director of the NCIS to make amends.  When, 
subsequently, I called the CNO, he told me that he thought I needed to do 
that, and I told him I had already set that in motion.
	Let's put this incident behind us.  I hope that, together, we can 
ensure the American people will be given an accurate picture of the United
States Naval Academy.
C. R. LARSON
Admiral, U.S. Navy
Superintendent