USCG — UCMJ Proceedings

[rustybayonet]

Haven't a clue as to why - but they do look like savory characters to me - especially the middle one on the bottom row            

[EX-CG-GM]

Haven't a clue as to why - but they do look like savory characters to me - especially the middle one on the bottom row            

 

[BuoyJumper]

Commanding Officer CGC Alex Haley Punished and Fined

Monday, June 18th, 2007
By SCOTT CHRISTIANSEN
Mirror Writer

The commander of the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Alex Haley, who has been on shore leave since April 24, was permanently relieved of his command and has been docked pay for being involved in “several inappropriate relationships” that compromised his leadership ability, a Coast Guard spokesman said this morning.

Cmdr. Karl Gabrielsen was formally reprimanded Wednesday in an admiral’s mast conducted by Vice Adm. Charles Wurster, said Pacific Area Command spokesman Senior Chief Keith Alholm.

A mast is a non-judicial form of punishment used by the Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy that gets its name from the old seafaring tradition of skippers doling out punishment on deck at the foot of the ship’s main mast. A Coast Guard mast may be used for punishment or as a ceremony for special recognition of achievements.

The Haley sails under the Pacific Area Command but its homeport is Kodiak. A formal change of command will take place Friday in Hawaii, Alholm said.

Wurster reprimanded Gabrielsen with a punitive letter of reprimand and forfeiture of $3,500 pay per month for two months, with $1,000 per month suspended, Alholm said.

“For a commissioned officer, the punitive letters have significant career impacts and trigger other administrative processes,” Alholm said.

Gabrielsen’s behavior took place while he was in command of the Haley, but did not involve Coast Guard personnel, Alholm said.

Cmdr. Kelly Hatfield, executive officer of the Coast Guard cutter Bertholf, assumed temporary command of the Alex Haley on April 30, six days after Gabrielsen was placed on shore duty.

The Coast Guard confirmed at the time that an investigation was under way, calling it an “administrative review” and saying only that Gabrielsen had been temporarily relieved because of “a loss of confidence” in his ability to command the ship.

The Haley’s new skipper is Cmdr. Kevin Jones who will take command of the ship during a ceremony Friday in Honolulu.

Hatfield will return to his assignment as executive officer of the cutter Bertholf.

The cutter Alex Haley’s primary missions are in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea where the ship’s crew enforces fisheries law and participates in search and rescue operations

[ih8hippies]

well...I hate seeing this ****. It doesn't matter to me whether they are 'O's' or 'E's', we should all be held to the same standard. I'm sure this CDR has put in a lot of sweat to get where he's at. I feel for him and his family. If his actions fit the crimes punishment, so be it . No matter what, I wish him the best. We've all made bad decisions...unfortunately some change a lot of things. 

[BuoyJumper]

I agree Jason, I'm kind of bummed out about this just like I am over Commander Michael Sabellico being relieved of command of the CGC Escanaba.  I know I'm old guard and during the Vietnam era we had O's and E's in some bar room scuffles and we had some involved in activities that could be deemed inappropriate relationships but it seems to me that in today's CG things are really uptight and intollerant.  I don't get it I really don't. 

The article says that Commander Gabrielsen was involved in, "several inappropriate relationships" that  "compromised his leadership ability".   Then the article goes on to say that these relationships were not involving CG personnel.  So I would take that to mean that these "several relationships" were involving civilians.   So WTF could it be involving a civilian that isn't criminal (or there would be charges) that would cost this officer his command?  Adultry, DADT violations ... what? ???  I just don't get it and I feel like there's more to this than meets the eye.    

[Salba]

Buoy:

I don't know but I can envision multiple examples of inappropriate relationships - the one that jumped to my mind was with the spouse of another Coastie; thus not involving Coast Guard personnal but certainly determinental to his leadership abilities.  I could also see perhaps involvement in some very public behaviors - wife swapping, groups etc.  But bottom line is we could speculate all day and we don't have a right to know unless the subject determines he wants it public.

I can speak from experience... officers are human and we do to stupid things on occassion... some we learn from and survive; others are career enders.  It's the price you pay for not just being one of the crew and having the responsbility and authority that goes with you bars.

I have empathy for the individuals involved... but I'm not ready to say that the service is as uptight and intollerant compared to the good old days...  I think they're just not as dumb about some things as they used to be.  For example I served with a Chief that thought it was good leadership to go down to the dry stores and beat the crap out of a junior as a way of getting his attention; that was until some SN pulled a knife on him and he decided it was better to pull rank than continue that leadership style...  those good old days you can have!

This isn't Vietnam or a war zone and yes some times things get blown up beyond where I would like.  But the simple fact of the matter is that any officer at any time can be relieved by his superior for lack of confidence - that's just the way it is my friend.

Best Wishes - I'm outta of here!

[LTGunner]

I guess USN Admirals aren’t exempt from making mistakes either…

Admiral fired over improper relationship

By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jun 21, 2007 18:13:18 EDT

 
 
Rear Adm. Peter J. Williams was fired from his position and reassigned Thursday for having an inappropriate relationship and misusing government property, according to a statement released by the Navy.

Williams, the program executive officer for tactical aircraft programs, was sent to another position within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition, following an admiral’s mast Thursday before Adm. Patrick Walsh, vice chief of naval operations.

Delores M. Etter, assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition, reassigned Williams.

Lt. Ryan Perry, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon, said that during the mast proceeding, “it was determined that Williams had engaged in an inappropriate relationship and misused government property.” Perry said the government property was a cellular phone. He would not characterize the improper relationship. Williams is married.

Perry would not disclose further details pending the outcome of an investigation. Walsh called the mast hearing under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which gives a commander authority to conduct such an immediate proceeding for misconduct.

“Adm. Walsh believed he had sufficient information to conduct an Article 15 hearing,” Perry said. “An individual notified the chain of command with credible concerns about an inappropriate relationship. The Navy takes such allegations seriously and began the investigation.”

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/06/navy_admiral_reassigned_070621w/

[BuoyJumper]

CG officer caught in bedroom of girl, 14


By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Aug 22, 2007 5:51:02 EDT


Jason Frank (in the rabbit fur hat) at that time an Ensign
taking his turn as the conning officer on the bridge of the
180-foot buoy tender Sundew, WLB-404 in Duluth.
  
A 36-year-old Coast Guard officer was arrested Aug. 10 after he was caught earlier this month in the Stafford, Va., bedroom of a 14-year-old girl by the girl’s mother.

Lt. Jason Frank, of Gaithersburg, Md., allegedly visited the girl’s home on three different occasions and had sex with her at least twice, according to an Aug. 15 Stafford County Sheriff’s Office announcement.

The girl’s mother allegedly found Frank in her daughter’s bedroom in the early hours of Aug. 1. The mother told deputies that after she informed Frank of her daughter’s age, he jumped out the window of the basement bedroom and ran away.

A sheriff’s office spokesman said Frank met the girl in an Internet chat forum, where he allegedly posed as a 28-year-old.

Frank has been charged with two counts of carnal knowledge of a child, taking indecent liberties with a child, soliciting a juvenile with an electronic device, breaking and entering, vandalism, and misdemeanor assault and battery.

The officer is assigned to Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., where he works in the Command Center, Coast Guard spokeswoman Natalie Granger said Aug. 20.

He previously served on the Coast Guard buoy tender Sundew, homeported in Duluth, Minn.
He is being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail in Stafford.

This sounds pretty bad for the LT, we will just have to wait and see.   

[debk]

He's 36...said he was 28 ...

in an internet chat room....

she's 14....how old did she say she was?

just a little detail left out of the report....


Some 14 yrs olds that I have seen these days...I didn't look like that at 30!

I'm not excusing him of his behavior....just that he will get in lots of trouble because he was too stupid to ask for proof of how old she was and for "hooking up" with someone he met in an internet chat room....

[Salba]

Regardless of how old/young she looked, given the description, the LT's stupidity certainly is apparent... living at home w/mom and not meeting mom, sneaking in for sex, mtg in chat room , etc etc..

He should have known better and done due dilligence...

If this is an example of his judgment and decision making process, he doesn't belong in "my" service and I've little empathy for him. Regardless... his career is over.

Best Wishes

[EX-CG-GM]

If this is an example of his judgment and decision making process, he doesn't belong in "my" service and I've little empathy for him. Regardless... his career is over.

I agree with you and his career SHOULD be over for this stunt!

I do recall an old Cheech and Chong record.  Cheech (or maybe it was Chong) gets arrested for having sex with a 14 year old girl.  The judge (female) asks what he has to say for himself.  He replies "I plead insanity yer Honor!"  Judge says "Insanity?  How do you figure?"  He responds "I'm just CRAZY about that girl.

When the record came out it was funny, nowadays it is too damn close to what actually happens.

[BuoyJumper]

Sonny, I am in total agreement with you, this man has no place serving in "my" Coast Guard or any Coast Guard!
The man is a pervert and belongs in the slam after the CG is done with him.

[cmypay]

I saw this this morning.  I can't believe that on some level this guy didn't know the girl was underage.  I have a daughter who is about to be 14, and, honestly, it seems to me that any adult would be able to tell just based on how she communicates.  Yes, lots of young girls today look much older.  Yes, many of these girls have a lack of parental supervision.  But when they open their mouths, you can tell they are "like, ya know" young! I also think that jumping out of the bedroom window when he was confronted points toward him knowing she was underage.

[BuoyJumper]

Pauli, I agree with what you are saying.  My grandson Bradley (who I am raising as a son) will be 14 on Sep 1st.  I see lots of 13 and 14 year old girls with him quite often and even so some of them are quite tall and developed there is no way you could ever mistake them for being 18 y.o. or older.  Like you said, jumping out the bedroom window petty much indicates that he knew he was in the wrong.

[BuoyJumper]

CGC Hamilton CO relieved over loss of confidence

By Patricia Kime - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 9, 2007 7:38:40 EDT



Capt. Jeffrey S. Lee, commander of the 378-foot high-endurance cutter Hamilton, was relieved of command on Sept. 23 by Pacific Area commander Vice Adm. Charles Wurster, a Coast Guard spokesman said Thursday.

Wurster cited “loss of confidence” in Lee’s ability to command as reason for the relief, Lt. Dave Oney said. He was flown back to the United States from the ship and remains temporarily reassigned to Pacific Area.

An investigation is underway by the command and Coast Guard Investigative Service, Oney added.

The San Diego-based Hamilton is amidst a scheduled deployment to the eastern Pacific. Lee was removed from the ship as it made a stop in Central America, Oney said.

Hamilton is Lee’s fourth cutter command. He has been cited for outstanding leadership on numerous occasions and, from 2003 to 2005, served as school chief at the Coast Guard’s Command and Operations School where he instructed future cutter commanders and executive officers for duty afloat.

He has been in the Coast Guard since 1983.

Capt. Lance Bardo, prospective CO of the national security cutter Waesche, has temporarily assumed command of Hamilton. The ship is expected back at the end of October.

   WOW ... What could he have done that would cause an action like being relieved of command especially when it is a Captain who has been "cited for outstanding leadership on numerous occasions"?