The commanding officer of an F/A-18 squadron in California was fired Saturday May 2 following accusations he mistreated a sailor.
Cmdr. Kurt Bohlken was relieved as CO of Strike Fighter Squadron 151 at Naval Station Lemoore by Rear Adm. Ron Boxall, the head of Carrier Strike Group 3. Bohlken has taken command of the squadron in March 2014.
After a February investigation found evidence of mistreatment, Bohlken was taken to Admiral's Mast Saturday on May 2 and found guilty of failure to obey a lawful order and maltreatment, according to a Navy news release. He was relieved by Boxhall following the proceeding.after a February investigation found evidence of mistreatment.
"Cmdr. Kurt Bohlken was relieved by Rear Adm. Ron Boxall, commander, Carrier Strike Group 3, following an Admiral's Mast proceeding where Bohlken was found guilty of violating Uniform Code Military Justice articles 92 (failure to obey an order or regulation) and 93 (maltreatment)," a Navy release said.
Lt. Reagan Lauritzen, a spokeswoman for the chief of naval air forces, declined to elaborate on what the nature of the mistreatment was, but said the "command investigation … showed significant deviation from what is deemed as acceptable behavior in the Navy."
Cmdr. Dustin Lee, the squadron's executive officer, is now in command of VFA 151. Bohlken took command of the squadron last March.
Bohlken is a 1997 Naval Academy graduate. He's flown the F-14 and the F/A-18 and deployed on the carriers Constellation, Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln.
He has also done a Pentagon tour on the staff of the chief of naval operations staff as the tactical air test and evaluation action officer.
