Commanding officer, XO and senior enlisted firings

Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Feb 28, 2012 14:05:36 EST

2012

Commanding officers
• Capt. Jeffrey Riedel was fired Jan. 26 as program manager for the Navy's littoral combat ship program due to allegations of inappropriate behavior.

• Cmdr. Diego Hernandez was fired Feb. 4 as CO of the ballistic-missile submarine Wyoming's gold crew for mishandling classified materials.

• Capt. Robert Marin was fired Feb. 10 as CO of the cruiser Cowpens "while an investigation into inappropriate personal behavior is conducted."

• Cmdr. Jeffrey Wissel was fired Feb. 27 as commander of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1 amid allegations of "personal misconduct."

• Cmdr. Jon Haydel was fired March 12 as commander of the yet-to-be commissioned amphibious transport dock San Diego amid an investigation into "personal misconduct."

Senior enlisted leaders
• Master Chief Electronics Technician (SS) David Turley was fired Jan. 3 as chief of the boat of the ballistic-missile submarine Nebraska's gold crew.

• Senior Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Aircraft Handling) (AW/SW/EXW) Scott Bowman was relieved Feb. 21 as command senior chief at Naval Weapons Station Earle, N.J., for "unsatisfactory performance."

• Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Richard Ward was fired Feb. 28 as the top enlisted adviser for Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group for fraternization with two of his chief petty officers and other infractions.

• Master Chief Logistics Specialist Scott Splitgerber, a reservist, was fired March 14 as command master chief of Navy Cargo Handling Battalion 4 after an investigation found he had committed fraternization as well as made a false official statement.

2011

Commanding officers
• Capt. Owen Honors, commanding officer of the aircraft carrier Enterprise, was fired Jan. 4 for what the Navy called a "profound lack of good judgment and professionalism" in making and showing to his crew raunchy comic videos as executive officer of the ship from 2005 through 2007.

• Capt. Rex Guinn, commanding officer of the Navy Region Japan legal service office, was fired Feb. 17 by Rear Adm. Nanette DeRenzi, commander of Navy Legal Service Command and the deputy judge advocate general, for "loss of confidence in his ability to command."

• Cmdr. Nathan Borchers of the Norfolk, Va.-based destroyer Stout was fired March 1 for a "pervasive pattern of unprofessional behavior" among the ship's crew.

• Rear Adm. Ron Horton was fired as commander of Logistics Group, Western Pacific, on March 3 for failing to put a stop to the controversial "XO Movie Night" videos aired while he commanded the carrier Enterprise.

• Cmdr. Kevin Harms was fired March 9 as commander of Strike Fighter Squadron 137 aboard the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln by strike group commander Rear Adm. Mark Guadagnini "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command" for allegedly violating military ethics rules.

• Cmdr. Timothy Murphy was fired April 11 as commander of Electronic Attack Squadron 129 at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., due to "loss of confidence in his ability to command" after he was stopped by authorities on suspicion of driving drunk.

• Capt. William Mosk was fired April 18 as commander of Naval Station Rota and commander of Naval Activities Spain due to a "loss of confidence" in his ability to command and handle issues related to an ongoing criminal investigation at the base, according to an official statement.

• Cmdr. Etta Jones, commanding officer of the amphibious transport dock Ponce, was fired April 23 on deployment "due to demonstrated poor leadership, and failure to appropriately investigate, report, and hold accountable sailors found involved in hazing incidents," a Navy announcement said. Jones also "failed to properly handle a loaded weapon" during a security alert, which the announcement said "endangered some of her crew."

• Capt. Donald Hornbeck, commodore of San Diego-based Destroyer Squadron 1, was fired April 23 while an investigation looks into allegations of an "inappropriate relationship," the Navy announced.

• Cmdr. Jay Wylie, CO of destroyer Momsen, was fired April 27 by Rear Adm. Mark Guadagnini, commander of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command stemming from allegations of misconduct," according to a 3rd Fleet press release.

• Capt. Greg Thomas was removed from command of Norfolk Naval Shipyard the weekend of May 21-22 while a formal investigation into the command environment at the yard is completed, Navy officials said.

• Cmdr. Mike Varney, commanding officer of a Seawolf-class attack submarine Connecticut, was fired June 6 following an investigation into mishandling classified material and for lying to and obstructing the inquiry.

• Capt. Eric Merrill was fired July 15 as commanding officer of the submarine tender Emory S. Land after the ship hit a channel buoy June 21 while heading into Mina Salman, a port of Bahrain.

• Cmdr. Karl Pugh was fired July 19 as commander of the Whidbey Island, Wash.-based Electronic Attack Squadron 141 "following non-judicial punishment proceedings for an alcohol-related incident that occurred July 12 during a port visit to Manama," 5th Fleet officials said in a statement.

• Cmdr. Jason Strength was fired July 20 as commanding officer of Navy Recruiting District Nashville, Tenn., after he was "found to have acted in an unprofessional manner" both while on liberty around subordinates as well as in uniform at official Navy events in Chattanooga, Tenn., in June, according to a statement from Navy Recruiting Command.

• Cmdr. Robert Brown was fired Aug. 5 as commanding officer of Beachmaster Unit 2 at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Va. Brown was fired over allegations of ethics violations uncovered during an ongoing investigation into misuse of government resources, according to Naval Surface Force Atlantic.

• Cmdr. Laredo Bell was fired Aug. 24 as commanding officer of Naval Support Activity Saratoga Springs, N.Y., following an Aug. 20 driving while intoxicated arrest.

• Cmdr. Mark Olson was fired Sept. 7 as CO of the Mayport, Fla.-based destroyer The Sullivans due to "a loss of confidence in his ability to command," three weeks after his ship mistakenly fired at a fishing boat during a gunnery exercise, the Navy said.

• Capt. David Geisler was fired Oct. 17 as commanding officer of Task Force 53 in Bahrain amid an investigation into alleged inappropriate conduct.

• Cmdr. Joseph Nosse was fired Oct. 19 as commanding officer of the ballistic-missile submarine Kentucky for inadequate leadership, according to a spokesman.

• Lt. Cmdr. Martin Holguin was fired Oct. 27 as commanding officer of mine countermeasures crew Fearless for "demonstrated poor personnel management," according to a statement from Naval Surface Force Pacific.

• Cmdr. Jonathan Jackson was fired Dec. 8 as commanding officer of deployed Electronic Attack Squadron 134, deployed aboard the underway carrier Carl Vinson, an investigation into sexual harassment allegations, the Navy said.

Executive officers
• Cmdr. Andrew Crowe was fired April 1 as executive officer of Navy Region Center Singapore for creating a hostile work environment and failing to follow orders.

• Lt. Cmdr. Kurt Boenisch, executive officer of the amphibious transport dock Ponce, was fired April 23 on deployment for failing "to provide support to the command and commanding officer."

• Capt. Robert Gamberg was fired June 6 as executive officer of the carrier during admiral's mast in Norfolk, Va., for conduct unbecoming an officer and failure to obey a lawful order or regulation, related to an "improper relationship."

• Cmdr. Ralph Jones was fired July 13 as executive officer of the amphibious transport dock Green Bay during deployment in the Arabian Sea after an investigation substantiated allegations of personal misconduct.

• Cmdr. John Pethel was fired Dec. 21 as executive officer of the amphibious transport dock New York for having an "unduly familiar relationship" with a female member of the crew.

Senior enlisted leaders
• Senior Chief Yeoman (SS) Savan Patel was fired Jan. 5 after he was arrested and charged with drunken driving in Hawaii. Patel was chief of the boat for the attack submarine Louisville.

• Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Kelvin Coleman of the Stethem, a Japan-based destroyer, was fired Jan. 22 after he was arrested in connection with a drunken driving incident.

• Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Ron Burnett of the dock landing ship Ashland was fired Feb. 9 "due to loss of confidence" pending completion of the investigation into inappropriate touching of a female shipmate.

• Command Master Chief Meondra Kendley was fired as top sailor for Naval Recruiting District San Antonio on Feb. 16 for a loss of confidence in her ability to do the job.

• Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Susan Bruce-Ross of the Norfolk, Va.-based destroyer Stout was fired March 1 for a "pervasive pattern of unprofessional behavior" among the ship's crew.

• Command Master Chief (SW/AW) Roy Mobley was fired as the top sailor at Navy Recruiting District Philadelphia on April 5 due to "loss of confidence" amid allegations he wore unearned medals and decorations.

• Command Master Chief (SW) Donald Darcy was fired as the top sailor aboard the dock landing ship Fort McHenry on Dec. 9 over accusations of misconduct, the Navy said.

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  •      What I would guess is that the Navy, and probably the other services too, are doing is the same thing the corporate world does first when the economy goes down.  In order to cut cost ( Sequestration in our case) what happens first?  Cut or limit pay and benefits and get rid of personnel. Less people to pay first, then equipment or facilities are divested next.

         Something similar was happening the last couple years of my short six year enlistment.  Ronald Reagan started a smaller "purge" around '81-'82.  The economy was shrinking.  He had to find a way to pay for "Star-Wars" and other up-and coming high-tech military equipment (don't get me wrong, I loved taking care of the radar other electronics gear - miss it terribly now).  So what did he do?  In the Navy's case, start heavier enforcement of rules and regulations that had been slacked off on, got rid of the "partyers" and other "undesirables". Some referred to this as "getting rid of Admiral Zumwalt's navy.  Also, " brought back" pride in being a sailor ( kind of wondered about this one, I was DAMNED proud to serve anyway) by bringing back the dress tropical whites, Hair cut and other appearance regs were more strictly enforced.  The latter probably seems trivial to some but I would suggest that it helped get rid of some of those that were given a choice by some Vietnam era judge to go to jail or enlist.  Those kind did not care much for military discipline and shouldn't have been allowed anyway. 

         I would venture to predict in ten years or so, hopefully much less, the cycle will bottom out and proud career sailors will be able to enjoy their plan to be Haze Gray All the Way! 

  • lol

    lot has changed , when i was in if you were on shore overseas you were drunk

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