Senior Enlisted Petty Officer Court Martialed

Witmo

Witmo

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An E8 aboard a Littoral Combat Ship in the Pacific got reduced one grade to E7 as a result of a court martial. She lied at least 3 times to the ship's skipper's face concerning what turned out to be a Starlink system she and the other Petty Officers paid for and installed without authorization on the ship to provide internet service to the Petty Officers while at sea and in port. Suspicions arose when crewmembers noticed an internet router showing up named "Stinky" that the Communications Officer was clueless about. When the Captain asked the Senior Enlisted Petty Officer, she claimed no knowledge of Stinky but would look into it. Stinky soon disappeared and was replaced by what appeared to be a wireless printer network which didn't appear suspicious. Upon reaching a port where some antenna work was scheduled, technicians found the Starlink antenna and the cat was let out of the bag. She told the Captain that the system was only used in port and provided a falsified Starlink statement showing only portside activity for the account. Investigators contacted Starlink directly and records indicated the link was active 24/7 during the entire cruise at sea and in port. The existence and use of a system like Starlink could compromise the position of the ship and could very easily assist in an enemy's targeting of the ship during hostilities. In my opinion, her lies and providing false evidence should have put her in the brig and warranted a dishonorable discharge. The other petty officers deserve some punishment also but the reports don't say what, if any, happened to them.
 
Witmo said:
An E8 aboard a Littoral Combat Ship in the Pacific got reduced one grade to E7 as a result of a court martial. She lied at least 3 times to the ship's skipper's face concerning what turned out to be a Starlink system she and the other Petty Officers paid for and installed without authorization on the ship to provide internet service to the Petty Officers while at sea and in port. Suspicions arose when crewmembers noticed an internet router showing up named "Stinky" that the Communications Officer was clueless about. When the Captain asked the Senior Enlisted Petty Officer, she claimed no knowledge of Stinky but would look into it. Stinky soon disappeared and was replaced by what appeared to be a wireless printer network which didn't appear suspicious. Upon reaching a port where some antenna work was scheduled, technicians found the Starlink antenna and the cat was let out of the bag. She told the Captain that the system was only used in port and provided a falsified Starlink statement showing only portside activity for the account. Investigators contacted Starlink directly and records indicated the link was active 24/7 during the entire cruise at sea and in port. The existence and use of a system like Starlink could compromise the position of the ship and could very easily assist in an enemy's targeting of the ship during hostilities. In my opinion, her lies and providing false evidence should have put her in the brig and warranted a dishonorable discharge. The other petty officers deserve some punishment also but the reports don't say what, if any, happened to them.
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The guy who runs Starlink and talks to Putin on a regular basis probably said it was ok.
 
Witmo said:
In my opinion, her lies and providing false evidence should have put her in the brig and warranted a dishonorable discharge. The other petty officers deserve some punishment also but the reports don't say what, if any, happened to them.
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I would have thought the same. So why do you think she was only busted one rank?
 
Morgan3820 said:
I would have thought the same. So why do you think she was only busted one rank?
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I haven't seen a transcript of what was presented at the court martial so I can't say. My comment was based on the only information available to me. I've seen officers who have behaved badly get a similar punishment when a junior enlisted would have been dishonorably discharged. It may be consideration for the number of years in service. I think punishment should be harsher for someone in a position of authority, not less harsh.
 
I was an E1 when I got to my first TOD unit in Germany. My platoon sergeant was an E6. Four years later I ran in to him at Ft Hood, and we were both outprocessing for ETS. We were both E5's.

He was caught using drugs, got busted down a rank and given a bar to reenlistment. One of the other E6's in my unit in Germany was caught dealing. He was busted to E1, and escorted under arms by our platoon sergeant to the MP unit to hold him for courts martial. Last I heard he was doing an extended career tour in Ft. Leavenworth.

It brings up an interesting question. Should the senior Petty Officer who secured the Starlink system be treated as the user, or the dealer? I get the whole point of compromising the security of the ship. She should have known. They all should have known.
 
Years ago when I was an E-4, a junior officer in our command was caught selling new CUCV parts that he acquired as maintence officer on the economy.

Somehow he ended up getting put out for being psychologically unsuitable rather than a thief and a danger to the unit.

I'm not sure if that was a greater or lesser punishment. But, it allowed the whole incident to be swept under the rug as a medical issue.
 
Sac Arrow said:
I was an E1 when I got to my first TOD unit in Germany. My platoon sergeant was an E6. Four years later I ran in to him at Ft Hood, and we were both outprocessing for ETS. We were both E5's.

He was caught using drugs, got busted down a rank and given a bar to reenlistment. One of the other E6's in my unit in Germany was caught dealing. He was busted to E1, and escorted under arms by our platoon sergeant to the MP unit to hold him for courts martial. Last I heard he was doing an extended career tour in Ft. Leavenworth.

It brings up an interesting question. Should the senior Petty Officer who secured the Starlink system be treated as the user, or the dealer? I get the whole point of compromising the security of the ship. She should have known. They all should have known.
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Exactly! She's a Senior NCO. She lied to the Captain three times. The fact she was reduced one grade and is still a Senior NCO boggles the mind.
 
She may have exceptional technological skills that are near irreplaceable.

In my service in the Army, I committed a serious security violation, brought it to my superiors to prevent higher authorities from having a chance of detecting it. Fortunately for me, they had no replacement for my skills below the rank of Major, he insisted that they pretend that I did have the required clearance for the remaining 3 months of my time before release. The Major won, as I also won. They just ceased acknowledging that I was the one creating the secret data. I was an E 4 at that time.

Side light of this issue, I had the level of clearance prior to being drafted, but had not added it in service, and the Army does not recognize civilian clearances. I worked in an office that archived the arial photo's taken over Russia immediately after WW 2, the existence of those flights was still a high level secret.

The naval officer who determined the penalty may be satisfied that there will be no similar activity in the future.
 
In my experience in the Army as a Senior NCO, if I lied to a Field Grade Officer three times, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be a Senior NCO anymore regardless of my qualifications. Goes to show the quality of the respective service's NCO Corps.
 
Hmmm… the reason for leniency is the courts martial.

What should have happened is get underway, hit 12.00001 miles then Capt Mast (article 15, NJP).

The deal is, you can’t refuse art 15 for a courts martial in international waters.

THEN she could be busted to a E-1 and given a duck dinner, which she would likely get recharacterized later anyway.

This is a travesty. And EVERYONE using it shoulda been hit in some fashion. It’s possible they did get Capt Mast and were more harshly penalized as it is.
 
Tools said:
Hmmm… the reason for leniency is the courts martial.

What should have happened is get underway, hit 12.00001 miles then Capt Mast (article 15, NJP).

The deal is, you can’t refuse art 15 for a courts martial in international waters.

THEN she could be busted to a E-1 and given a duck dinner, which she would likely get recharacterized later anyway.

This is a travesty. And EVERYONE using it shoulda been hit in some fashion. It’s possible they did get Capt Mast and were more harshly penalized as it is.
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You bring up a good point. Article 15 action is administrative with limited punitive measures, and the ship/unit can keep carrying on business as usual. A courts martial on the other hand is a big deal, particularly when multiple defendants are involved. The captain has to make a hard choice on whether to sacrifice readiness for justice. I'd be willing to bet the senior PO has a bar to reenlistment, which is an effective boot out of the Navy. Depending on where she is in her term, that could be sooner than later.
 
Tougher to art 15 them but it can be done. And prolly should. Pretty aggregious. The bald face lying about it is REALLY bad.
 
My guess is that they were protecting the NCO's retirement. Probably had 20 years in. Bust her a grade on the agreement that she immediately retires.

Ron Wanttaja
 
I wouldn’t say there are limited punitive measures… incarceration without due process, that’s heavy. The president, congressman nor a judge can do that to a citizen.

Once you get the art 15, issue counseling. Getting a second is child’s play. Pattern of misconduct ADSEP. I had to do this quite a bit. Unstoppable. FAR more reliable than courts martial. Maybe get a BCD… easily a OTH. General is the best they could hope for.
 
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