The Key West Citizen

An amendment to "Navy hump" legislation allowing equitable treatment of affected officers has been proposed by Second District Congressman Charles Bennett.

Subcommittee No. 1 of the Armed Services Committee, on which Bennett serves, has conducted hearings on proposed "Navy hump" legislation dealing with the problem of retiring certain high ranking Navy officers. Under the current proposal about 2500 Navy officers and 100 Marine officers will be forced to retire to allow room for promotion of younger officers.

The Bennett amendment will give these affected officers the alternative of accepting retirement and the bonus which will be provided to them for retiring or accepting employment in the Department of Defense or other government agencies.

"The hump must be eliminated," Bennett conceded, "but we have a moral obligation not to repudiate the guarantee given to these officers to obtain a career. Men have given years in public service in reliance on this guarantee, established by statute, of continued military employment."

The legislation only affects regular Navy officers. Bennett explained, and only deals with competent officers. "This has nothing to do with removal of incompetent officers but is a program to gradually allow room for promotion of lower ranking officers."