A uniformed petty officer caught on camera screaming “Fuck Trump!” to a group of the president’s supporters this summer has received non-judicial punishment, officials confirmed this week.
But the nature of disciplinary action taken against Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Launch/Recovery) 2nd Class Sarah J. Dudrey remains unclear.
Video of Dudrey getting out of a car and confronting a group of flag-waving Trump supporters near the Ventura County Government Center in July led to a command inquiry into the sailor, who was stationed at Naval Base Ventura County, California, about a 15-minute drive from the site of the dust-up.
Dudrey “went to NJP but we’re not going to speak to the specifics of the disposition,” base spokeswoman Melinda Larson told Navy Times.
“The inquiry was concluded and was appropriately adjudicated,” Larson said. “This is a personnel matter and the Navy does not generally discuss the routine administrative disposition of incidents of alleged sailor misconduct.”
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Wearing her working uniform and a face mask pulled down around her chin, Dudrey is seen in the video yelling and getting in the face of one Trump supporter while several others mill about.
“Fuck Trump!” the then-24-year-old yells at the throng. “Fuck you!”
Dudrey deploys middle fingers several times to the incensed crowd of roughly a dozen people several times throughout the video.
The crowd in turn responds with shouts of “shame on you!” with one person telling her to “learn how to act in a fucking uniform!”
Such overt politicking in uniform is considered a big no-no in America’s military.
In a February memo to the ranks, then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper warned troops to avoid making political statements or supporting candidates while representing the military, including while wearing a uniform.
“As citizens, we exercise our right to vote and participate in government,” Esper wrote. “However, as public servants who have taken an oath to defend these principles, we uphold DoD’s longstanding tradition of remaining apolitical as we carry out our official responsibilities.”
Correction: this story has been updated to reflect the type of uniform Dudrey wore in the video. She was wearing the Navy Working Uniform Type III.
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
