Pentagon Inspector General Quits

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/31/AR2005083101776.html

Pentagon Inspector General Quits

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon said Wednesday its chief overseer of internal investigations is resigning his post.

Joseph E. Schmitz, who has served as the Inspector General since March 2002, is quitting to accept a job in the private sector, said Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman. The spokesman said Schmitz's final day would be Sept. 9.


Schmitz is going to be the chief operating officer and general counsel for the Prince Group, according to another defense official who discussed the matter only on condition of anonymity. One of Prince Group's subsidiaries is Blackwater USA, which is under Defense Department contract to provide security services in Iraq.

The defense official, who would not be quoted by name because of Pentagon restrictions on releasing information on this subject, said Schmitz notified Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld of his decision last Friday. The official also said that Schmitz had consulted with his ethics attorney before taking the Prince Group job to ensure that moving directly from the Pentagon job would not present a conflict of interest.