Navy Times Firing Lists for October

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Navy commanding officer, senior enlisted firings

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2011/10/navy-2011-co-xo-cmc-firings/

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, 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.

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.

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.

2010

Commanding officers

• Capt. John Titus Jr. was fired Jan. 8 as CO of the Naval Supply Corps School in Georgia for failing to adequately discipline a junior officer accused of inappropriate conduct.

• Capt. Holly Graf was fired Jan. 13 as CO of the Yokosuka, Japan-based cruiser Cowpens after an inspector general’s investigation found problems with her “temperament and demeanor,” a spokesman said.

• Capt. Glen Little was fired as CO of Naval Weapons Station Charleston, S.C., after he was arrested Jan. 26 on a charge of solicitation of prostitution.

• Cmdr. Scott Merritt was relieved as head of Naval Support Activity North Potomac on Feb. 12 following nonjudicial punishment. Sources told Navy Times the NJP involved fraternization with a junior Navy personnel.

• Cmdr. Timothy Weber, the commanding officer of the Norfolk, Va.-based destroyer Truxtun, was relieved Feb. 17 for having an inappropriate relationship with a female officer in his command, according to a Navy statement

• Capt. William Reavey Jr., CO of Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., was fired Feb. 26 for “inappropriate conduct,” officials said.

• Cmdr. Jeff Cima, CO of the Pearl Harbor-based sub Chicago, was relieved of command March 15 for drunkenness and conduct unbecoming an officer, officials said

• Cmdr. Neil Funtanilla, CO of the destroyer The Sullivans, was relieved May 18 in Manama, Bahrain, after a non-judicial hearing found he was “derelict in the performance of his duties.” The destroyer struck a buoy in the Persian Gulf in March.

• Cmdr. Herman Pfaeffle was relieved as CO of the frigate John L. Hall for loss of confidence in his ability to command on June 22 after hitting a pier April 16 in Batumi, Georgia.

• Capt. William Kiestler was relieved June 30 as CO of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Vice Adm. Kevin McCoy, commander of Naval Sea Systems Command, cited a loss of confidence in Kiestler’s ability to command.

• Cmdr. Fred Wilhelm was relieved Aug. 12 as CO of the dock landing ship Gunston Hall. Rear Adm. Dave Thomas fired him after Wilhelm was “charged with sexual harassment, maltreatment of a subordinate, simple assault, conduct unbecoming an officer, drunk and disorderly conduct and use of indecent language.”

• Capt. David Schnell was relieved Aug. 15 as CO of the amphibious assault ship Peleliu by Vice Adm. Mark Fox, commander of 5th Fleet. The relief took place “as a result of an investigation into allegations that he acted in an unprofessional manner toward several crew members that was inappropriate, improper and unduly familiar.”

• Cmdr. Mary Ann Giese, CO of Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Bahrain, was fired Aug. 21 by Rear Adm. Edward Deets, head of Naval Network Warfare Command, after “a preliminary investigation into allegations that she had been involved in inappropriate relationships with other Navy personnel,” according to a statement from 10th Fleet.

• Capt. David Solms, commanding officer of the Trident Training Facility in Bangor, Wash., was fired Sept. 14 by Capt. Kenneth Swan, commanding officer of Submarine Learning Center in Groton, Conn., because of “inappropriate personal behavior.”

• Capt. Ronald Murray Gero, commanding officer of the guided missile submarine Ohio’s Blue Crew, was fired Sept. 17 by Rear Adm. James F. Caldwell, commander of Submarine Group 9 at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Wash., after an investigation into “improper personal behavior.”

• Cmdr. Charles Maher, commanding officer of the attack submarine Memphis, was fired Nov. 18 by Capt. William Merz, commander of Submarine Development Squadron 12, amid the investigation of 10 members of his crew regarding an alleged cheating ring involving shipboard training exams.

• Lt. Cmdr. James Rushton, who commanded MCM Crew Constant aboard the ship Chief, was fired Dec. 8 “due to misconduct” following an investigation by the commodore of Mine Countermeasures Squadron 2. Lt. Cmdr. Anne Laird, who has been serving as the executive officer, was also fired for “misconduct.”