Navy: Deployed CO Retreated to Cabin for Weeks

Military.com ^ | August 8, 2014 | Staff

[QT3.14]

A Navy investigation finds the ailing skipper of a San Diego-based Navy cruiser retreated to his cabin for several weeks in the middle of a deployment, leaving the 330-member crew leaderless.

The probe also revealed that the skipper of the USS Cowpens, Capt. Gregory W. Gombert, was having an improper and "unduly familiar" relationship with the cruiser's acting executive officer, U-T San Diego reported Wednesday.

[tanknetter]

Navy Times article with more details.

Looks like he got sick with the flu, then had something called "facial paralysis." Stayed in his cabin and pretty much turned command over to Savage - who was CHENG and only Acting XO (how does the USN let an Aegis cruiser go at least half a deployment without a permanent, rated, XO).

The relationship may not have been sexual in nature. I'd guess you had an ambitious O6 fearful of losing his command (and his career), and an ambitious O4 who saw a great leadership opportunity ... and the two worked out what they thought was a win-win. The Command Master Chief had to have approved of it, failing to report the matter.

[Drew68]

I’ve never seen a female carry a 180lb load up/down a ladder or work loaded down with gear. . .hey, if you say it can be done. . .so be it.

Nobody "fireman carries" people up and down ladder wells. We use stretchers. Hoses are manned by teams. Damage control teams on any navy ship drills, drills, and then drills some more. And they do it wearing gear.

Am I saying every female can pull her own weight? No. But there's plenty of weakling and fat-assed dudes who would fail just as well if the SHTF.

But what do I know? I'm only a First Class Petty Officer with over a decade in the Navy. Maybe I should be reading books instead of actually deploying to sea?

[M Kehoe]

Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

5.56mm

[castlegreyskull]

He had an undisclosed illness. Judging by the COs picture, he looked like he was prone to seasickness.

[petitfour]

Right. It only appeared questionable because her stuff was in his cabin bathroom, she cooked for him, and they spent a lot of time locked in his cabin alone. Thus the charge was not of the two having an affair.

[oh8eleven]

Think she can pass the same physically gruelling tasks they can?
Ah, it's the Navy, no one can.

[Political Junkie Too]

Or palm trees.

-PJ

[tanknetter]

Right. It only appeared questionable because her stuff was in his cabin bathroom, she cooked for him, and they spent a lot of time locked in his cabin alone. Thus the charge was not of the two having an affair.

I've only seen mention of him having holed up in his in-port cabin. It's entirely possible, therefore, that in stepping (inappropriately) into the role of Acting CO she took over his sea cabin and the articles are confusing/not differentiating between the two.

Apparently she conned the ship through at least two unreps. Incredibly stupid.

[PLMerite]

“Acting XO Destiny Savage...”

Wow, and XOXOXO to her, to.

[PLMerite]

to = too

[QT3.14]

I know. But they allowed another link to the same photo at #34.

[Neanderthal]

Looks like her for sure.

Other

USC Trojans, Visit Carlsbad, Cakes Likes A Party, DOLL Swimwear, Legacy Family Tree, Salon de Moda, Chynna Dolls, USC Pi Beta Phi, Sean Meehan, Sprinkles Cupcakes La Jolla, Sprinkles Cupcakes, USS Pinckney (DDG 91), Candice Kumai, Agatha Christie, In-N-Out Burger, The Great Barrier Reef, Workshop Espresso, LAEKEN, Margaritaville, Charmed In Kentucky, Save Law & Order!, NORAD Tracks Santa, Texts From Last Night, Clark Gable, Iñigo Montoya, The Nice Rack, Griswold Law, The CJ Hubbard Foundation, Red House Property Management, Carlsbad High School, Carlsbad, CA, Withers Dental, That Pizza Place, RXYM FASHION USA, Del Mar Racing, San Diego 360, Kalyn Photography, Carlsbad Photography, Cessy's, San Diego, SURF, Bette Davis, USC Alumni Association, The Original Tommy's Burgers, Hawaii, San Diego Zoo, Paul Newman, Inside Troy - USCFootball.com, Pizza Port, Students for Barack Obama, MAC Cosmetics, Hashtag Hawaii, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Disneyland, Sydney.com, Us Weekly, Olivia de Havilland Fan Club, Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG), Barack Obama, Tucker Max, USC Career Center, PERS-41: Surface Warfare Officer Assignments, Jenna Dewan Tatum, Tommy Trojan, The St. Regis Monarch Beach, American Express, Sterling Social Events & Experiences, Lucy Swift Events, Pizza Port Bressi Ranch, Creative Movement, Syrah Wine Parlor, Mari Payton NBC, Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, USS Cowpens (CG 63), Surface Warriors, Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel, The Wish List - Carlsbad Village, Tone It Up, Santa Monica Surfcase, Spoonful, The California Club, Butch Friedrichs Foundation, Starwood Hotels Travel Exclusives, SPG Restaurants & Bars, ShadowBag Industries, Country Outfitter, Channing Tatum, Junior Officer Social Society of Hawaii, Oceanside, California, Chick-fil-A Boycott For Being Anti-Gay, The Shop Beauty And Art, Silk, Darci Hook Photography, Let's Not Overlook the Real Reason for the Holiday Weekend

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

The XO is a she and she is hot.

[BlueNgold]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/08/07/article-2719187-2059212400000578-494_634x583.jpg

Supposedly this is her...
Off duty.

[DPMD]

War.

[PapaBear3625]

Meet the XO

Oh, my, yes.

THIS is one of the main reasons why women were not allowed on Navy ships for all of recorded history. Too much temptation, too much distraction.

[PapaBear3625]

um, no.... the person next in the chain of command becomes the leader. duh.

Which would be the XO the Captain was too busy having an "improper relationship" with.

[QT3.14]

Left out is both spent a three-day Christmas holiday in a hotel two hours’ drive from Subic Bay.

[PapaBear3625]

[petitfour]

I am still stuck on how this person could be XO or acting XO on a Navy ship. The command structure ABOVE these folks ought to be dumped. Meanwhile, a fine Naval officer had his career trashed over dirty jokes and emails. Just crazy.