Seventh Fleet Admiral Dismissed

[thedrifter]

Associated Press
February 14, 2003


TOKYO - The commander of a group of U.S. aircraft carriers was relieved of duty Thursday after superiors said he had engaged in an "improper relationship" with a female naval officer.

Rear Adm. Steven Kunkle of the Navy's Seventh Fleet was reprimanded at a hearing and temporarily assigned to the staff of Commander U.S. Naval Forces Japan in Yokosuka, spokesman Cmdr. Matthew Brown said.

Brown said Kunkle had been dismissed because he had been "engaging in an improper relationship with a female naval officer" and superiors had lost confidence in him. He did not elaborate. Kunkle headed Carrier Group Five, part of the Seventh Fleet. It includes the USS Kitty Hawk, based just south of Tokyo, which is headed to the Persian Gulf to prepare for a possible attack on Iraq.


http://www.military.com/pics/FL_kitty_021403.jpg



Sempers,

Roger

[lurchenstein]

Brings back memories of a Sgt. Major (29 Palms schools command)that championed a command fraternization policy. (We had to sign SRB Page 11 entries acknowledging the policy.) Later the Sgt. Major got caught having a relationship with a junior enlisted Woman Marine. (So much for examplary leadership. Fortunately, this was only an exception.)

[mpwildes]

My last SgtMaj got relieved for the same thing and forced into retirement. Alot is coming out in the open now about Leadership not promoting good order and displine with in their individual services. It is just not worth your career.

[Rob Parry]

Bill Clinton was Commander in Chief, how come the regs weren't applied to his dalliance with Monica et al?
That's a specious bit of an argument, but it does beggar belief that two very mature adults cannot conduct an affair or liaison in private, and be considered to be acting in a manner detrimental to the operation of a fleet carrier.

[lurchenstein]

Rob Parry, you're a thought provoking bloke. (I never would have thought of applying that to the CIC.)