Two master chief petty officers pleaded guilty and will be reduced in rate and reprimanded as part of the first disciplinary actions handed down for misconduct that caused the early termination and rescheduling of April's E-9 selection board.
The Navy announced the results of the courts-martial in a press release today from Navy Personnel Command in Millington, Tennessee, the location of both trials.
Because the pair were taken to the lowest level of courts-martial — summary courts-martial — Navy officials will not release the names or the ratings of the two master chiefs.
One master chief pleaded and was found guilty of divulging board membership and discussing a sailor under consideration by the board outside of the board process.
The other master chief was was found guilty of violating instructions by divulging board membership, discussing a sailor under consideration outside of the board process and divulging deliberations and results to an unauthorized individual. The master chief, too, was reduced in rate to senior chief and was also issued a formal reprimand.
"The Navy takes this incident very seriously and has investigated these allegations of wrong-doing by some board members," said Rear Adm. Richard Brown, commander of Navy Personnel Command. Brown spearheaded the process of opting for courts-martial instead of admiral's mast.
"The Navy's board process is sacrosanct — the selection board process must be a fair and impartial process. The board procedures are essential to ensure a fair and impartial process and deviation cannot be tolerated."
The incidents first came to light April 11 while the board was in session and wrapping up deliberations. The initial investigation began the following day, the release said. Enough information was confirmed by the initial report to prompt a deeper investigation.
Navy officials haven't stated publicly if others are facing disciplinary action in this case, but the fact that officials have declined to release the results of the investigation publicly — "until all punitive or administrative action has been completed for all Sailors involved" — would indicate more disciplinary action is warranted.
The all new board will be reconvened July 24, with some changes put in place, officials announced last month. The board's president will now be an admiral, and the board's makeup will see a drop in the number of master chiefs and an increase in the number of officers.
Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.
