Ronald Route named president of Monterey's Naval Postgraduate School

The Navy has selected the former president of the Naval War College, who also served as a naval inspector general, as the next president of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey.

Ronald A. Route was chosen because of his 36 years in the Navy and his leadership experience, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced Tuesday.

"Admiral Route is the right leader for the job," Mabus said in a statement. "... I trust him to expertly guide this institution as they continue to provide the high quality, relevant and unique advanced education and research opportunities that make our naval forces the best in the world."

Interim NPS President Rear Adm. Jan Tighe announced the move in an email to the staff She said the turnover will likely happen in the "September timeframe."

"He brings diverse experience and proven leadership to take NPS to the next level of excellence," she wrote. "I know you will support him in the same outstanding manner in which you have supported me."

Tighe had held the post since the top two leaders of the school were ousted in November following a damaging Naval Inspector General report. It accused President Dan Oliver and Provost Leonard Ferrari of not following Navy rules and turning the school toward research and away from its primary military mission. Naval officials were criticized at the time about hyping the report, which actually contained little criticism.

Route was not inspector general t at the time of the investigation

into Oliver and Ferrari. He retired from the Navy in 2008 as a three star admiral, meaning the Navy has technically selected a civilian president.

Route's long career, according to his Navy biography, includes command of the USS Dewey and USS Lake Erie, assignment to the Chief of Naval Operations staff, directorship of the Navy Programming Division, service as a naval war analyst within the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and membership on the Council on Foreign Relations.

At the war college, Route oversaw the education of 3,600 graduate students, said Mabus' announcement.

Oliver made an average of $222,322 a year during his five-year stint but NPS spokesman Bill Clinton directed questions about Route's salary to the Navy Office of Information in Washington, D.C. Lt. Cmdr. Sarah Flaherty said the office would have Route's salary and attempt to answer questions about his pension, provided it does not break privacy rules, by Wednesday morning.

When The Herald called Route in March at his Maryland home, he said he could "neither confirm or deny at the moment" he was being considered for the post.

Route holds a master's degree from NPS in operations research. His Naval War College biography (bit.ly/19GcEId) says he used an "aggressive program" of research, analysis and war gaming to address the Navy's "operational challenges" while at the school from 2001 to 2003.

Doug Hensler, former dean of Wichita State University's business school, was announced as provost in April. Mabus also said Tighe will return to the Office of Naval Operations in Washington D.C.

Mabus said in the announcement Tighe's performance at NPS was "nothing short of remarkable."

Source: http://www.montereyherald.com/local/ci_23670342/update-ronald-route-be-named-naval-postgraduate-school?source=rss

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