??!!
Don't officials need to approve documents for signing by autopen?
I don't know.
We will probably find out.
I would think it's just the opposite. Routine and unimportant correspondence is signed with an autopen. Official documents and commendations would have to be signed personally.
How are things up there in Spokane? I'm looking forward to my next trip up there in two years (college reunion).
Autopens are very useful for high ranking officials who have to sign literally thousands of documents per year---but they have to be carefully controlled.
This is usually the job of the Executive Officer. The Secretary of the Navy usually has more than one Exec---probably about 4 officers --usually in the rank of 0-5 or 0-6 (Commander and Captain).
Autopens are large machines--about the size of a 1/2 or 1/4 a ping pong table. They are usually kept in a locked room and highly controlled so that they cannot be misued.
Sort of. They establish a procedure whereby oce the requisite conditions have been met, a document can be autopen signed.
The citations signed by Lehman are most likely "replacement citations," provided at Kerry's request, after a review of the relevant military records indicated that Kerry was entitled to the citation. Requests for replacement medals and citations are routine, and can occur due to loss in fire, loss due to neglect, etc.
Best speculation is that Kerry requested replacement medals for the ones he threw over the fence (BTW, the first set of replacements is free!), and either the medals automatically come with a new citation letter, or Kerry requested both, medal and citation letter, or Kerry's servant just figured the request for replacement ought to "ask for everything he can get."
bump
There is no way that the Secretary of the Navy can personally review and sign every document that requires his signature. There are not enough hours in a day to do this and if he even tried to deal with 1/10th of it he would have no time for anything else. He will have a procedure for delegating this authority to his staff, retaining for himself signatory authority over principle policy, planning and budget documentation.
I keep one in my car.
Kerry Flip-Flops Again on 'Tossed' Medals
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/4/26/100423.shtml
Documents have to be approved and no way would this have been approved without Secretary Lehman signing off. Not to mention in the awards I have seen for the military, I have never seen anything other than an original for such an award.
Autopen makes no sense under the circumstances.
Writer Lipscomb smells blood.
Maybe it is kinda like The Medallion Stamp, it depends on the individual who has been issued the stamp or has control over its use.
Money and/or sweet talk can sometime override honesty and/or wisdom!