By Steve Liewer, Stars and Stripes

Adm. Thomas Fargo has recommended a "thorough review" of the program that placed 16 civilians on the bridge of USS Greeneville Feb. 9 when it rammed a Japanese fisheries training ship.

Fargo said in a statement Tuesday that he recommended the review of the "Distinguished Visitors Program," to the Chief of Naval Operations. He also asked fleet commanders personally to review the ship and training agendas for any missions on which civilians embark.

And, he asked that civilians not be at key watch stations during important ship operations.

"The Distinguished Visitor embarkation program is extremely valuable to a nation like ours," Fargo said. "The public has a right and need to know and understand how the Navy operates."

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld already has restricted civilians from sitting at controls, as three of them were doing when the Greeneville collided with the Ehime Maru off of Hawaii. Nine Japanese people — including five high school students — died. Navy officials have acknowledged that three civilians were sitting at the Greeneville’s controls at the time, though they said none were actually operating the submarine.

But aside from that restriction, the Pentagon isn’t expected to substantially change the popular guest programs considered vital to good community relations.

"It keeps Americans aware of the people who sign up to go in harm’s way and serve their country," Celia Hoke, director of the Pentagon’s community relations program, said Tuesday.

"People have said it’s all about funding," said Navy spokeswoman Cmdr. Cate Mueller of the criticism that the Greeneville trip was aimed at rewarding financial donors. "It’s also about hearts and minds — about people connecting with and knowing about their military."

The Pacific Fleet had 21 at-sea tours for a total of 307 guests on fast-attack submarines like the Greeneville last year, an average of 15 guests per trip, according to Navy estimates.

Three times as many went to sea on bigger ballistic-missile submarines. Including carriers and other surface ships, the Pacific Fleet had a total of 7,836 guests on 158 trips last year, down from 11,440 guests on 233 trips in 1999.

Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. Craig Quigley said Tuesday that all the other services were also looking at refining rules for civilian programs. In late February, Rumsfeld ordered civilians indefinitely barred from operating military equipment, including ships, aircraft and ground vehicles, "when such operation could cause, or reasonably be perceived as causing, an increased safety risk."

The Army, Air Force and Marines have essentially adopted that Rumsfeld moratorium as policy.

The Air Force says civilians can still ride in the second seat of an F-16 fighter, but they are not allowed to touch the panel in front of them as they were before.

Civilians can also still fire weapons as long as they are not crew-operated weapons — those requiring more than one person to shoot.

"This moratorium is not designed to restrict civilian visitors from observing their military; it is designed to ensure their visits are conducted as safely as possible," Rumsfeld wrote in his memo, not mentioning the sub accident specifically.

Though no overall number of civilian guests is available, the services said they have hundreds of programs that allow Americans to tour ships, visit bases, participate in training or observe other military activities. The programs are regarded as a way to keep civilians aware of what it takes to keep the armed forces trained and at the ready.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.