Posted on 08/18/2010 1:48:38 PM PDT by SloopJohnB
Navy commander ousted on sex harassment, assault charges
NORFOLK
The commanding officer of the Little Creek-based amphibious dock landing ship Gunston Hall was relieved of command Thursday after an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment, simple assault and conduct unbecoming an officer.
Cmdr. Fred Wilhelm was ousted from his post by Rear Adm. Dave Thomas, commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, due to loss of confidence in his ability to command, the Navy said. Wilhelm was reassigned to administrative duties during an admiral's mast, a nonjudicial disciplinary proceeding.
The ship's former executive officer, Cmdr. Kevin Rafferty, and former command master chief, Wayne Owings, who were on board when the incidents occurred, also received nonjudicial punishment for failing to take action after repeated observations of inappropriate conduct. Owings was also charged with sexual harassment and simple assault. He and Rafferty, like Wilhelm, have been assigned to administrative duties.
In addition, Wilhelm will forfeit a month's pay and Owings, a half-month's pay. All three received punitive letters of reprimand.
The incidents occurred during the Gunston Hall's recent six-month deployment off western Africa and the Mediterranean, which included four weeks assisting relief efforts after the Haiti earthquake. The ship returned to Norfolk on July 3.
The incidents occurred both on and off duty, on the ship and ashore, said Paul Taylor, a Navy spokesman. One of the charges involved drunk and disorderly conduct, he said. The charges were based on the allegations of two crew members, Taylor said. Citing privacy concerns, he declined to name them or to describe them by rank or gender.
The charges were handled administratively because they were not deemed severe enough for a court-martial, a judicial proceeding, Taylor said.
The charge of simple assault involved such acts as "poking and tickling" subordinates, he said.
The Navy takes such allegations seriously, Taylor said: "We do not tolerate this sort of conduct in the military."
He said the case is unrelated to that of Lt. Jerome Randolph, another Gunston Hall officer, who was sentenced to two years in jail and dismissed from the Navy in September after he acknowledged having sex in his stateroom with a 19-year-old woman in his chain of command. The woman testified that Randolph forced her to have sex. He contended that it was consensual.
Capt. Mark Scovill, recently the deputy commander of Amphibious Squadron 8, will command the Gunston Hall until the next commanding officer reports to the ship in December, the Navy said.
Rafferty and Owings rotated off the ship before the investigation was completed.
According to several sources, Schnell was fired for sexually harassing male sailors. One former crewmember with continued ties to the Peleliu says Schnell had a reputation for preying on young enlisted men. Reportedly, the skipper regularly “rewarded” potential targets with chits entitling them to a day off from duty, along with a private lunch with Schnell himself in the Inport Cabin. Schnell described these tete-a-tetes as “the highlight of my week.” Each “Sailor of the Week” was offered niceties not otherwise enjoyed on board ship. “The CO had a type,” one observer reports. “He liked them boyish and slim.” In one glowing internal newsletter, Schnell wrote of one honoree, “I could not be more pleased with [name deleted]’s performance.” The young sailor was allowed to bring a friend of his choosing. Schnell wrote: “This is really for my benefit of course....”
“Word on board ship was, do NOT set yourself up for this honor,” wrote one source.
According to another source, a group of junior officers reported Schnell for sexual harassment. The investigation did not take long.
Uhhhh...I’m open to some close order drill!
LOL! Well done!
I'm sure the captain didn't dump his career because he wanted some. Sounds like they have some militant feminist on board; I hope they will be ok if shells start flying, what goes around comes around.
See 10 and 23 then come commiserate with me at 13.
What makes you think it has anything to do with women?
If your question and the other comments are relevant, that is incredibly gross.
Did you read the report? The guy was a *homo*...
Human nature being what it is, anyone will do anything if they think they can get away with it. The nature of men in general and gay men in particular makes the risk of discovery one of the last consequences on their minds.
Sounds like it did wonders for morale. /s
The military’s rules and cultural bias against homosexuality comes from the historical experiences of exactly this behavior.
In the Royal Navy, and later in our own U.S. Navy, the Captain was God when at sea. Many Royal Navy Captains had notorious reputations for certain behavior. Royal Navy ships had a number of young boys who were on board as servants or learning the ropes as seamen. These young boys would be invited to the Captain’s cabin and would have no choice but to do as he pleased. The death penalty against homosexuality was not aimed so much at the seamen themselves, but to serve as a deterrent for these deviant Captains.
Some things never change.
I can't imagine how a few pictures like the ones posted here could fail to remind a real man of the joys of a real woman. Obviously though, some guys just aren't real men.
Wrong sex.
I read the article.
If it ain’t women its time for DADT.
Well I’m not asking if you are not telling. Figures
The accusations go beyond DADT.
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