DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
PUGET SOUND NAVAL SHIPYARD
1400 FARRAGUT AVENUE
BREMERTON, WASHINGTON 98314-5001

IN REPLY REFER
12630
Ser 902.2/149
June 24, 1998

Letter was sent certified and regular
mail on 6/24/98 to:
1344 NE McWilliams Rd.
Bremerton, WA 98311

Richard A. Ketter	
Code 902/Badge 160073

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

Mr. Ketter:

You were notified by Administrative Officer, Judy Runquist's 
letter of 18 May 1998, enclosure (1), of the proposal to remove 
you from the rolls of this Shipyard for excessive unauthorized 
absence and failure to follow instructions. This was a notice of 
proposed adverse action.

You were granted until 29 May 1998, to reply orally and/or in 
writing if you had reasons to believe that the proposal to remove 
you should not be completed. An extension was granted and by 
letter dated June 8, 1998, you submitted a written reply. In your 
letter you stated that you had appealed the Office of Workmen's 
Compensation (OWCP) claim of December 24' 1997, and as of June 5' 
1998, OWCP Seattle Senior Claims examiner had informed you that 
your claim of cellulitis had been accepted. You further stated 
that you had contacted "certain people in Code 106" to report your 
absences.

I have considered all the facts of this case. I find that the 
reasons stated for your failure to follow instructions in 
enclosure (1) are fully supported by the evidence, that the 
charges are sustained for your failure to follow instructions, 
that no sufficiently mitigating factors exist to warrant reducing 
the proposed action, and that your removal is fully warranted to 
promote the efficiency of the service. Therefore, based on your 
failure to follow instructions, your removal will be effected on 
24 June 1998.

You have the right to appeal this decision within thirty (30) 
calendar days from the effective date of this action either to: 
(a) Merit Systems Protection Board or (b) through Article Thirty 
of the Negotiated Grievance Procedure, but not both.

(a) Merit Systems Protection Board
Northwest Region
Federal Office Building, Room 1840
915 Second Avenue
Seattle, WA 98174
Enclosure (2) is the Merit Systems Protection Board Appeals Form 
and enclosure (3) is a copy of the Merit Systems Protection Board 
regulations.

(b) Employee Management Relations Division
Code 1113, Building 435
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Bremerton, WA 98314-5001

Any information concerning your appeal rights may be obtained by 
contacting Linda Baham, Administrative Officer, Code 902.2, at 
telephone number (360) 476-4976.


T. Davies

Code 909

Encl:
(1) Administrative Officer's Itr of 18 May 1998
(2) Merit Systems Protection Board Appeals Form
(3) Merit Systems Protection Board Regulations