Pentagon finds no wrongdoing in handling of secretary's hospitalization

Feb. 27 (UPI) -- An internal review released Monday by the Pentagon examining its handling of the defense secretary's recent hospitalization offered eight recommendations to improve transparency and communication over the transfer of military authority while finding no wrongdoing on anyone's part, including that of Lloyd Austin.

Austin underwent surgery for prostate cancer Dec. 22, and was rehospitalized Jan. 1 due to a bladder issue that subsequently developed. However, neither the White House nor his second in command, Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks, were informed of the situation until Jan. 4, which was a day before Austin was discharged.

Once made public, the lack of communication between Lyold and the White House as well as with Congress raised bipartisan criticism, and the 30-day review was launched.

The three-page declassified review was made public Monday, finding that Austin's staff was focused on continuing the Pentagon's mission but was "faced with an unprecedented situation." Respecting the secretary's privacy, medical privacy laws and the uncertainty of his medical situation were potentially contributing factors to the lack of information sharing, it said.

"Although, as hindsight has shown, the process for making decisions to transfer the secretary's authority could and should be improved, as further explained in the recommendations approved by the secretary, nothing examined during this review demonstrated any indication of ill intent or an attempt to obfuscate," the review states.

The document states that a day after Austin was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, his assistants agreed to initiate a transfer of authorities to Hicks, who was on leave in Puerto Rico.

Though Hicks was told that the authority of the department had been transferred to her, she was not informed of Austin's hospitalization. The authorities were transferred back to the secretary on the night of Jan. 5.

In a memo released alongside the review, Austin said two of the eight recommendations have already been implemented and that he has directed the implementation of the remaining six.

"I recognize that, during the course of implementing these improvements, we may find additional actions that need to be taken or processes that need to be adjusted," Austin wrote in the memo. "As a learning organization, we will continue to learn and adjust. As we implement the above recommendations, we do so with our service members foremost in mind -- ensuring the continuity of our command and control is never in doubt."

Early this month, Austin apologized for the situation and said he and the department "did not handle this right."

"I should have told the president about my cancer diagnosis, and I should have also told my team and the American public," he said. "And I take full responsibility."