Three Marine officers found liable in Osprey investigation

Associated Press WriterNORFOLK, Va. (AP) -- Three Marine officers were found liable in the alleged cover-up of problems with Osprey aircraft, the Marines said Friday. Five others were cleared.

Col. James E. Schleining, commanding officer, Marine Aircraft Group 26, was found in violation of a charge of dereliction of duty in that he should have known about the falsified Osprey maintenance reports. He received a punitive letter of reprimand.

Schleining was cleared of a charge of violating a lawful order by allegedly failing to report the suspected falsification of maintenance reports.

Lt. Col. Odin F. Leberman, former Commanding Officer, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron, was found in violation of two charges: dereliction of duty in that he knew of the false maintenance reports and conduct unbecoming an officer. He received a punitive letter of reprimand.

Leberman was cleared of making false official statements. He had been accused of forwarding false maintenance reports up the chain of command.

Capt. Christopher Ramsey, assistant aviation maintenance officer, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron, was found in violation on one charge: dereliction of duty in that he knew of the false maintenance reports. No punishment was imposed.

He was cleared of making false official statements and of conduct unbecoming an officer.

Being found in violation of a charge does not amount to a criminal conviction, the Marines said.

Five other officers had been accused in the case, including:

-- Maj. Gen. Dennis T. Krupp, commanding general, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, who was cleared of a charge of dereliction of duty.

-- Col. Phillip L. Newman, assistant chief of staff for aviation logistics division, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, who was found innocent of the charges of dereliction of duty and violating a lawful order.

-- Col. Laurin P. Eck, former assistant program manager, Naval Air Systems Command, who was cleared of violating a lawful order.

-- Lt. Col. Demetrice M. Babb, aviation maintenance officer, aviation logistics division, 2nd Marine Airwing, who was cleared of dereliction of duty and violating a lawful order.

-- Chief Warrant Officer Matthew W. Smith, maintenance material control officer, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron, who was cleared of dereliction of duty and making a false official statement.

Closed hearings for all eight officers, were held Sept. 7 before Lt. Gen. Raymond P. Ayres Jr., the Marine Corps' Atlantic Forces commander.

Newman was "relieved, but not surprised" that he was cleared, his attorney, Maj. Steve Ockerman, said in a telephone interview.

"I saw no evidence why he should have been charged," Ockerman said.

Capt. Brian Kasprzyk, attorney for Leberman, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

Maj. Bryan Salas, spokesman for the Marine Corps' Atlantic Forces Command, said he would ask other attorneys if they or they clients wanted to comment.

When the allegations surfaced, the Pentagon was on the verge of deciding whether to go ahead with full-rate production of the MV-22 Osprey, designed to take off like a helicopter but cruise like an airplane.

Two crashes in 2000 that killed 23 Marines had raised questions about the Osprey's reliability. The Pentagon's inspector general later concluded that the alleged falsification of records had nothing to do with the accidents.

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has not decided whether to continue the Osprey program.

------On the Net:

Marine Corps Atlantic Forces: http://www.marforlant.usmc.mil/

Boeing: http://www.boeing.com/rotorcraft/military/v22/

Marine Osprey: http://www.navair.navy.mil/v22/