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Master chief on Pearl Harbor sub relieved of duties

William Cole
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COURTESY U.S. NAVY / 2014 The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Columbia (SSN 771) moors as it returns to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam following a six-month scheduled deployment to the western Pacific.

The chief of the boat of the Pearl Harbor attack submarine USS Columbia was relieved of his duties today “due to a pattern of poor leadership,” the Navy said.

Master Chief Petty Officer Ruben P. Aguirre was removed from his position by Cmdr. David Edgerton, the Columbia’s commanding officer.

“It can best be characterized as unprofessional conduct during the course of his work duties,” said Cmdr. Brook DeWalt, a spokesman for the Pacific Fleet Submarine Force, headquartered at Pearl Harbor. DeWalt said a command investigation is underway.

Aguirre, a machinist’s mate, had been aboard Columbia since June 2015. He has been administratively reassigned to Naval Submarine Support Command Pearl Harbor, the Navy said.

Chiefs of the boat are senior enlisted leaders on Navy submarines and “have a great deal of responsibility for their unit’s assigned sailors and their mission,” the Navy said. “They strengthen the chain of command by keeping the commanding officer aware of existing or potential issues of concern as well as procedures and practices which affect the mission, readiness, welfare and morale of the sailors in the command.”

21 responses to “Master chief on Pearl Harbor sub relieved of duties”

  1. inverse says:

    No civil service protection for this sailor. They don’t just remove him from his position of authority but publicly identify he has “poor leadership”. Imagine if the DOE, UH, City and State government was run this way. DOE schools would be on par with schools like Punaho and Iolan, and rates of private school attendance in Hawaii would be way down.

    • residenttaxpayer says:

      No privacy laws for military personnel unlike civilian government employees……….

    • localguy says:

      Compare this removal from the senior position to our utterly clueless, unprofessional, backwards, BOE/DOE/HSTA. They will do everything in their power to protect substandard, law breaking, incompetent dues paying union members. Moving them around, on paid leave for over a year, what ever it takes.

      Military has professional, accountable leadership. Nei unions haven’t got a clue what leadership, integrity, high ethical and moral values are. Union standard.

  2. wrightj says:

    ….as if the general public has a ” need to know ” here?

  3. retire says:

    Of all the branches of service, the Navy is without a doubt the most incompetent.

    • hawaiikone says:

      Based on this article? Or some personal experiences? Curious, since I know both a sub commander and a surface commander, and find both intelligent, well versed, and dedicated. Obviously a small sampling, but a positive one.

      • retire says:

        36 years of experience, working in or with all branches of the service.

        • HIE says:

          You obviously didn’t work with the Army enough. In order of intelligence, it goes Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, then Army. Look up average ASVAB scores for each branch over decades, and you’ll find that order holds true.

    • klastri says:

      This is a ridiculous generalization. The Navy reliably and safely operates the most complicated machines ever produced by man.

  4. Christopher_murp says:

    Public shaming is a more effective deterrent for most than other forms of punishment. If people know that their peers or, in this case, the public, will know what they do or don’t do, it does seem to deter most from stepping across the line. This also allows others to be aware of what shouldn’t be done or what they should be aware of if having to deal/work with this person.
    It’s too bad that unions and others insist on the privacy of the malefactor, especially when it may affect another person or group of people at some point in the future.

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