Rear Adm. Charles M. Gauoette was relieved of command of Stennis Carrier Strike Group in October, following an incident where Gauoette admonished USS John C. Stennis CO Capt. Ronald Reis for ship handling during a transit through the Strait of Malacca, according to reports from The New York Times and Navy Times.
“That animosity boiled over on the navigation bridge Oct. 6, while the ship was moving at nearly 25 knots through the Strait of Malacca. One officer on the flag bridge saw the ship’s track cross the lane for ships going the other direction to maneuver around slower traffic. Gaouette was unsettled. He rushed up from the flag bridge to confront Reis; the name of this officer has been redacted from the report, but a Navy official familiar with the report confirmed it was Reis,” reported Navy Times.
An Oct. 20 complaint from Reis prompted the Office of the Naval Inspector General to conduct an investigation accusing Gaouette of abusive leadership and racially insensitive remarks and emails. The investigation finished on Feb. 8 and obtained by USNI News via a Freedom of Information Act request.
“We examined whether, viewed in its totality, Subject’s conduct as CCSG-3 between April and October 2012 adhered to the leadership qualities required by Article 1131 of the U.S. Navy Regulations
(NAVREGS), ‘Exemplary Conduct’,” read the report.
“We conclude it did not.”
The IG office substantiated three allegations related to racially insensitive remarks and emails but did not substantiate the allegation of abusive leadership.
Following the report, Adm. John Richardson director of Navy reactors, issued, “a nonpunitive letter of caution and ordered that a copy of the investigation be put in the one-star’s service record — effectively ending his career,” reported Navy Times.
The following is the Feb. 8, IG report.
Please note: The document contains offensive language and references racial stereotypes.
