This top intelligence officer had no security clearance

One would think that without a security clearance, the Director of Naval Intelligence would lose his job. In the case of Navy Vice Adm. Ted Branch, that didn't happen.

Branch was caught on the periphery of the "Fat Leonard" scandal, due to his actions while commanding officer of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

You've probably heard of it by now. Numerous Navy officers and individuals tied to a contractor in the Far East have been indicted for all sorts of charges, including retired Navy Rear Adm. Bruce Loveless, whose indictment was unsealed on March 14, according to a Defense News report.

Branch had his security clearance suspended in 2013, months after he became Director of Naval Intelligence. A March 2016 report by USNI News noted that then-Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus discussed the situation with the Senate Armed Services Committee in a hearing.

"When I was informed in late 2013 that Adm. Branch was possibly connected to the GDMA case, I thought because of his position I should remove his clearance in an excess of caution. I was also told — assured — at that time that a decision would be made in a very short time — in a matter of weeks, I was told — as to whether he was involved and what would be the disposition of the case," Mabus explained to Senator Joni Earnst (R-IA).

Branch's situation had languished for almost two and a half years at that point.

"Naval intelligence is OK. The whole situation is less than optimal and frustrating, but we are where we are," he told Military.com in Feb. 2016. "And we will persevere. And I will lead in this capacity until somebody tells me to go home."

Branch retired on Oct. 1, 2016, upon the confirmation of his successor, Vice Adm. Jan Tighe.

During Branch's time as captain of the Nimitz, the 10-part PBS documentary series "Carrier" was film on the vessel. The series was produced by Mel Gibson's Icon Productions, the same company that did the Oscar-winning film "Hacksaw Ridge."