The top enlisted at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was fired Saturday and Intermediate Maintenance Facility Command master chief was fired Saturday, July 18 following an his on base arrest for allegedly driving drunk. arrest on base for allegedly driving under the influence.
The decision to formally relieve Command Master Chief (SS) Jeff VanBlaracum was made by shipyard commanding officer commander Commander Capt. Jamie Kalowsky immediately following VanBlaracum's arrest for driving under the influence.
VanBlaracum was arrested after his truck hit a fence on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in the early morning hours on Saturday, according to Sean Hughes, spokesman for the shipyard, security arrived shortly after and made the arrest.
Base police arrested VanBlaracum on That arrest was carried out by Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam after he was VanBlaracum was pulled over for suspicion of driving under the influence on the base, according to Sean Hughes, spokesman for the shipyard.
VanBlaracum, the shipyard CMC since April 11, 2012, was in the process of turning over duties to his relief, CMDCM (SS/SW/DV) James Schneider, when he was fired.
As a result of the arrest, Kalowsky made the decided to remove VanBlaracum immediately and sion to accelerate and the change of Schneider officially assumed the duties as shipyard CMC early Saturday morning as well, Hughes said.
VanBlaracum enlisted on in the NavyNov. 19, 1985, and has been a career-long submariner for three decades. He served as chief of the fast attack submarine Sante Fe from July 2001 to December 2004 and again on board the fast attack submarine Columbus from November 2008 to November 2011.
VanBlaracum has been temporarily assigned to another office at the shipyard pending adjudication of his DUI case.
Schneider reported to the shipyard after a tour as the CMC for Naval Submarine Support Command, also in Pearl Harbor.
Also a career submariner, Schneider joined the navy in December 1989. He was the chief of the boat of the fast attack submarine Jacksonville August 2009. He was also the CMC for the submarine tender Frank Cable in Guam from June 2012 to September 2014.
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.
