Navy backtracks, OKs knives

COEUR d'ALENE - The U.S. Navy says somebody got their signals crossed when it came to honoring veterans.

The Navy claims it never blocked its personnel from accepting commemorative Buck Knives as a “thank you” for serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Unfortunately, it was a misunderstanding and the word got out wrong,” Navy spokesman Adam Bashaw said in a phone interview from New Orleans. “We wanted to hold off until we made sure everything was above board. It's always great when people support the troops returning back home.”

Roughly 40 reservists are set to get the special knives at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Buck Knives manufacturing plant in Post Falls.

Graham Crutchfield, a retired Marine, organized the commemorative knife program and said he was elated with the Navy's decision.

“It's such a relief,” Crutchfield said Tuesday. “I am glad they'll get the recognition they deserve.”

Lt. Troy Gilbert previously said an unidentified senior Naval officer told a member of the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion based out of Hayden, the knives exceeded a $20 value. That amount exceeds the U.S. Department of Defense's limit on gifts.

Navy Capt. Michael Kidd sent Post Falls Mayor Clay Larkin an e-mail that outlines the Department of Defense's reasoning behind allowing the gift program to continue.

“The current offer is a continuation of this practice and reflects an intent on the part of the donors to make these gifts available to a broad class of personnel returning from deployment,” the military opinion states. “Gifts offered by non-prohibited sources to a group of personnel that do not distinguish on the basis of official responsibility or favor higher rank or pay may be accepted by those personnel. This exception applies when all members of a particular unit are offered gifts, which appears to be the case in this instance.”

Gilbert said Tuesday that he was pleased with the Navy's ruling on the knives.

“We're getting the desired end result regardless of what it took to get here,” Gilbert said. “The guys are going to get the recognition they deserve.”

Crutchfield helped raise money for the knives from individuals, service clubs and businesses. More than 500 Inland Northwest veterans, including those wounded and killed in combat, have received special knives since the program's inception in 2005.

Marc Stewart is a staff writer with the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached at 664-8176 ext. 2010 or at mstewart@cdapress.com.