US warship commander dismissed for being intimate with subordinate
The captain of the USS Hopper was removed from command due to allegations of having an affair with a sailor under his command, causing internal disunity.
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Lieutenant Commander Jeffrey S. Tamulevich when he became captain in 2017. Photo:US Navy. |
Rear Admiral Brian P. Fort, commander of the US Naval District of Hawaii, earlier this week removed Lieutenant Commander Jeffrey S. Tamulevich, captain of the destroyer USS Hopper, and ordered an investigation into the officer's relationship with a sailor on the ship, according toTask and Purpose.
The US military prohibits commanding officers from having overly intimate relationships with their subordinates. Violators risk prosecution for undermining unit unity and bringing disrepute to the armed forces.
Tamulevich was not dismissed from the US Navy and was reassigned to desk duty in the Naval District of Hawaii. He is considered one of the most outstanding officers in the US Navy.
In 2009, Tamulevich received the Surface Officer of the Year award for his work at the combat command center of the destroyer USS John Paul Jones. Tamulevich also served on the destroyer USS Gonzalez and the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.
Tamulevich served as deputy commander of the USS Hopper from March 2016 to July 2017, before being promoted to captain.
