Seven senior NCOs aboard Navy ship disciplined in adultery scandal

Seven senior enlisted sailors aboard a Florida-based US Navy guided missile cruiser have been disciplined for incidents involving adulterous affairs with junior enlisted sailors, according to Naval Surface Force Atlantic.

The Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Hue City was torpedoed with scandal after seven Chief Petty Officers were punished by the ship’s skipper, with two individuals having been found guilty of separate affairs with a junior crewmember, which is in violation of a slew of regulations concerning conduct and fraternization.

The four other senior Non-Commissioned Officers were punished for knowing about the affairs but not coming forward with any information.

“The four other Chiefs with direct knowledge of the relationship were found to be in violation of Article 92 (Failure to Report Fraternization Offense),” a Naval Surface Force Atlantic (SURFLANT) statement said.

SURFLANT spokesman Lieutenant Commander Meyers Vasquez said the disciplinary actions were taken to restore unit trust, something crucial aboard a combat vessel.

“Whether actively engaging in misconduct or standing by idly and failing to report or correct it- both are degradations to our Navy team and the trust it takes to be successful and will not be tolerated,” Vasquez said. “We operate in a very demanding environment and need the best from our people day in and day out.”

Former Hue City commander Rick Hoffman said affairs aboard ships are never to be tolerated, as the impending fallout and drama will destroy mission focus, trust and morale.

“I can’t run a ship in combat that way,” Hoffman said. “I can’t go to war with high school [BS] going on behind my back. If you are having sex with a shipmate it will undermine my combat readiness, and I’ll have to [deal with] anyone involved.”

According to the Navy Times, the Hue City is on her first deployment since suffering from a fire in 2014.