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Boeing Monday announced the dismissal of Darleen Druyun, a former Pentagon acquisition official credited with helping to negotiate a controversial plan to lease Boeing 767 commercial jets to the Air Force for use as aerial refueling tankers.

The company's chief financial officer, Michael Sears, also was dismissed for his role in hiring Druyun to work as vice president and general manager of Boeing's Missile Defense Systems unit, according to a company statement.

Sears is said to have violated company policies by communicating directly and indirectly with Druyun about future employment when she had not disqualified herself from acting in her official Air Force capacity on matters involving Boeing, the company said. In addition, an internally initiated review found both attempted to conceal their misconduct.

"Compelling evidence of this misconduct by Mr. Sears and Ms. Druyun came to light over the last two weeks," Boeing Chairman Philip Condit said. "Upon review of the facts, our board of directors determined that immediate dismissal of both individuals for cause was the appropriate course of action."

Druyun has come under scrutiny recently for her alleged role in Boeing's massive lobbying effort to secure the multi-billion dollar tanker lease. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., a senior Armed Services Committee member and outspoken critic of the deal, obtained from Boeing thousands of internal e-mail exchanges, including some that could implicate Druyun for allegedly mishandling proprietary information belonging to Airbus, Boeing's top European competitor in the global aerospace market.

In addition, Druyun has come under fire in recent media reports that revealed Druyun's daughter worked for Boeing in St. Louis, and that Druyun had sold her house to a Boeing executive in the Washington area.

Boeing has made a concerted effort recently to improve its tarnished credibility on several fronts, including the Druyun allegations and its suspension from bidding on military satellite contracts as a result of unethical business practices. The company has retained former Sen. Warren Rudman, R-N.H., to review Boeing's ethics programs, Condit said in the release, adding that one of Rudman's tasks is to examine Boeing's "procedures and practices on hiring government employees to ensure this type of incident never happens again."

COMMENTS

• I recently separated from the Army as a warrant officer. I clearly remember our ethics instructor stating that if your were involved as an aquisition officer, contract officer or contract officer representative, you could not go to work for any of the companies you dealt with for a certain period of time. I am not sure of the exact time period. Truly this policy was violated in this case. Concerning the comment by Tax Payer (US Government), only people who have direct influence on government contracts are restricted from going to work for government contractors. High ranking government officials and military officers seem to fall into this category by virtue of their positions. The key to all of this is enforcement of current policies. Is Ms. Druyun going to get off with just a slap on the wrist? It seems ethics only apply to us lower level government workers and military. GovExec.com reader Posted December 10, 2003 6:54 AM
• This is a vivid reminder that we in the government must continue to maintain high standards. Many of my colleagues and I recall Ms. Druyen's lectures (during her many visits to the military installations) all too well. The lectures were directed mostly to the DoD Contracting Community (Civil Service). Her conduct, in my opinion, has violated the very standards she preached! Public trust is utmost and I believe that will take years to be regained. GovExec.com reader Posted November 26, 2003 11:30 AM
• If every contractor did Congress re-establish a law that limits hiring military and civilian exemployees of DoD. No one that has worked for DoD and quit or retired, should be allowed to work for a contractor that deals in anyway with DoD for at least three years after leaving DoD. Likewise, military should not be allowed to be hired in DoD for three years after they quit or retire from the military. We have military retire, and the next day put on civies and start work as a retired military now in a civilian post! Nothing ever changes and they bow low before the military to get these jobs for life. Personnel problems at DoD are extreme and will not be anything but worse with Rummy's new powers - thanks Tom Davis and Congress. You get what you deserve. This definitely should be an election issue for the Democrates in Maryland and Virginia during the Presidential election. Were is Gephardt on this one - he is such a friend of labor. Tax Payer Posted November 25, 2003 7:05 AM