Gunston Hall CO fired, former XO, CMC punished

[unhappycamper]

The dock landing ship Gunston Hall's skipper was fired, while the ship's former XO and former top sailor were punished. Command Master Chief (SS) Wayne Owings, left, was charged with dereliction of duty, sexual harassment and simple assault. Cmdr. Fred Wilhelm was charged with sexual harassment, maltreatment of a subordinate, simple assault, conduct unbecoming an officer amd drunk and disorderly conduct. Former Executive officer Cmdr. Kevin Rafferty, not pictured, was charged with dereliction of duty.


Gunston Hall CO fired, former XO, CMC punished
By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Aug 12, 2010 22:09:27 EDT

NORFOLK, Va. — The skipper of the dock landing ship Gunston Hall was fired Thursday, and the executive officer and command master chief were punished following an investigation into charges that ranged from sexual harassment and simple assault to drunk and disorderly conduct. All of the charges stemmed from conduct during the ship’s deployment that ended in early July.

Rear Adm. Dave Thomas, commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, removed Cmdr. Fred Wilhelm from command of the Norfolk-based ship and reprimanded former second-in-command Cmdr. Kevin Rafferty and Command Master Chief (SS) Wayne Owings, the ship’s former top sailor, during a 90-minute admiral’s mast at Norfolk Naval Station, said spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Bill Urban.

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, Urban said. Rafferty was charged with dereliction of duty, while Owings was charged with dereliction of duty, sexual harassment and simple assault. Rafferty and Owens had been relieved on schedule while the investigation was taking place.

All of the incidents took place during the first half of 2010, which the ship spent on deployment to Haiti and Africa, Urban said. He said there were “multiple victims.”

Thomas meted out severe administrative punishments. All three men received punitive letters of reprimand — near-certain career-killers for personnel of such rank and stature — while Wilhelm will forfeit one month’s pay for two months, Owings a total of a half-month’s pay, Urban said.