Posted on: Friday, May 17, 2002

Missile facility chief to step down

Associated Press

The commanding officer of the Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kaua'i, who was disciplined in March after investigators said he misspent hundreds of thousands of dollars refurbishing his government quarters, says he plans to retire next week.

Capt. Brian Moss is to step down May 24 after 30 years of active duty.

Moss' office will remain empty for six to eight months until another captain is selected. Cmdr. Ron Cavazos, the base's executive officer, will be the acting commander.

The new commander will be a senior captain who already has held a major command, said Navy spokeswoman Lt. Cmdr. Jane Campbell.

The Navy Inspector General's Office in Hawai'i found that Moss spent more than $177,000 on refurbishing his home and building two beach gazebos, using funds that were not authorized or were designated for base operations or enlisted housing.

Moss said he was not stepping down with a cloud hanging over his head.

"I'm in a position in which I cannot defend myself," Moss said Wednesday. "But I can say this much: To the best I can determine, there never was any fraud, waste or abuse.

"And there was absolutely no misuse of enlisted men's money," he said.

Moss also was accused of needlessly spending additional hundreds of thousands of dollars bringing senior civilian Navy employees to Kaua'i for temporary duty.

"It saddens me that many people feel the commanding officer of the base is guilty of something," Moss said. "I'm confident that, given the opportunity to defend myself in a court of law. I could prove I did nothing wrong."

Campbell has declined to elaborate on the case, saying only that "very appropriate and effective" disciplinary actions were taken.

The Navy is testing the Theater Ballistic Missile Defense System at the range on Kaua'i.