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 Linda Thomas
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Linda is the morning news anchor and features reporter for KIRO Radio. This is her local news blog, with an emphasis on social media, technology, Northwest companies, education, parenting, and anything else that grabs her attention.

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Dariak.jpg
U.S. Navy, Cmdr. Joseph Darlak is the latest Navy leader to be relieved of duty after an investigation into drinking and inappropriate behavior during a port visit. Here he's shown Sept. 20 taking a bite of a traditional offering of bread and salt after arriving in Vladivostok, Russia.(Ryan P. Mutha/U.S. Navy photo)

More Navy leaders relieved of duty after rowdy port visit

November 8, 2012 @ 10:32 pm (Updated: 8:31 am - 11/9/12 )

Drunken behavior during a port visit has led to the dismissal of another Navy commander and three other top officers, days after the leader of the USS Stennis carrier group was sent back to Bremerton.

The Navy hasn't said much about why they've removed Rear Admiral Charles Gaouette from his command October 27. They are conducting an internal investigation involving his judgment.

The Navy is offering more explanation about the commander of the USS Vandegrift, which is a frigate based in San Diego that was built at the Todd Shipyards. This frigate was not with the Stennis carrier group.

Vandegrift Commander Joseph Darlak was relieved of duty one week ago due to "a loss of confidence after displaying poor leadership and failure to ensure the conduct of his officers" while visiting the Russian port of Vladivostok in September.

Translation, according to San Diego media reports - Darlak was part of a "rowdy, booze-fueled port visit."

The ship's executive officer, Commander Ivan Jimenez, was also removed from the ship along with the operations officer and chief engineer, "for personal conduct and use of alcohol."

A Navy release stated, "Inappropriate behavior and judgment in positions of authority are unacceptable."

That phrase "inappropriate judgment" was used to describe the Stennis Rear Admiral also.

A military analyst I talked with a week ago said the Navy is on track to fire a record number of commanders this year for bad behavior.

"The Navy this year has had a spike in firings of these kinds of officers. They've fired over a dozen so far with problems related to offenses about sexual misconduct, alcohol, or some other kind of personal misconduct," says Lyons.

Now 14 commanders have been relieved of duty, which essentially ends their careers.

By LINDA THOMAS

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Comments (17)


  • Add A Comment

  • ron prevost wrote...
    Official cover story.
    November 9, 2012 6:00 am
    Will we now EVER get the truth?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Fuego wrote...
    Another theory..
    November 9, 2012 7:14 am
    is they have lost all respect for Commander in Chief and therefore have nothing to lose. I wonder how many officers get relieved of command on any given year. This doesn't seem normal and you have to wonder why are all these high ranking officers getting canned?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • BarnDerk wrote...
    Big news
    November 9, 2012 7:16 am
    Sailors get drunk at port.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Mike in Pioneer Square wrote...
    The Truth, Ron
    November 9, 2012 7:18 am
    Get the truth about what, Ron? That the navy doesn't want officers and sailors going on drunken rampages through ports that they visit? Maybe they're just trying to improve standards of personal behavior among the officers!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Oviously, the truth is whatever is convenient.
    November 9, 2012 3:43 pm
    Ask General Petraeus.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • anotherfencewalker wrote...
    Hollywood already made a movie about this..
    November 9, 2012 9:21 am
    Mr Roberts.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • karanmatt wrote...
    A week late on this story.....
    November 9, 2012 10:48 am
    Anyone that keeps up with news saw this story last week. I thought reporting the news was supposed to be timely?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Dan1 wrote...
    karanmatt
    November 9, 2012 11:36 am
    Linda did do a story on this last week. She wrote about the Admiral being sent back to Bremerton but there was no other information being released at that time. Guess you were asleep last week!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    Different admiral
    November 9, 2012 4:43 pm
    different story.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    Not surprising
    November 9, 2012 1:59 pm
    If Obama were my commander in chief I'd be drinking heavily as well. After His re-election I wouldn't blame the entire military if they just took off their uniforms and quit. This nation ain't worth defending anymore.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • chellesbelles wrote...
    @kato
    November 10, 2012 4:57 pm
    then why do you still live here? I wouldn't live in a place I didn't feel was worth defending. Just sayin'...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    I am running for office in 2014 - Dog catcher? . . . .
    November 9, 2012 6:57 pm
    sailors gone wild(http://youtu.be/6_mApB-H3nw) - when does the DVD come out? Hope its XXX.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    CH - the dogs would win
    November 10, 2012 4:41 am
    Unless, of course, you put that "D" behind your name.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • longwayhome wrote...
    Office?
    November 9, 2012 8:39 pm
    Clean sanicans, more likely. Don't have a job now, why not stay on unemployment and marry your room mate, its me? It's legal now and you can smoke pot at the ceremony! Trouble is, the public isn't electing republicans anymore. Sorry Charlie, you don't qualify.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }