Navy Officer, Seven
Sailors Disciplined
Associated Press
June 2, 2005
NORFOLK, Va. - Seven sailors and the
executive officer aboard a
Navy ship have been punished in connection with the hazing
of six crew members, a Navy spokesman said Wednesday.
Lt. Cmdr. Charles Owens said no one was seriously injured in
the hazing, which involved "some hitting" and incidents such as
taping sailors to chairs.
Four of the sailors were ordered discharged from the Navy
following a hearing May 6 in the Persian Gulf, Lt. Cmdr. Charles
Owens said. They have returned to Norfolk, where the USS
Kauffman is based, and are appealing the decision by Rear Adm.
Michael P. Nowakowski.
The other three sailors remained aboard the ship. Owens said
for privacy reasons he could not disclose their punishment, but
it could include reduction in rank, extra duty or forfeiture of
pay.
The ship's executive officer, Lt. Cmdr. Lawrence Wilson, was
disciplined for knowing about the hazing and failing to report
it to his commanding officer, Owens said. Wilson was reassigned
temporarily, with a recommendation that he be removed from his
position.
Nowakowski, commander of surface ships in the Atlantic, flew
out to the frigate to conduct the proceeding "to drive home the
message that this is serious," Owens said.
The hazing victims were all reassigned, the Navy spokesman
said, "so they can get a fresh start."
The Kauffman, with a crew of 225, left port in late March to
conduct operations in the Middle East.
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