“I Just Whipped it Out to the Helicopter:” Military Sealift Command 3rd Engineer Suspended for 30 Days After Exposing Genitals to Shipmates During Helo-Ops.
New York, NY
By: MLAA
According to records obtained by MLAA via the Freedom of Information Act, on March 11, 2018 at approximately 1800 hours the USNS MERCY was underway to Guam from Hawaii.
At that time, a helicopter from Helicopter Squadron 23 (HSC-23) was conducting flight operations in the airspace around the USNS Mercy. Several Military Sealift Command civilian mariners (CIVMARS), including a 3rd Assistant Engineer (3 A/E), were off-duty and sitting on the top deck of the aft house watching the helo operations.
According to witness statements contained in the investigation report compiled by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), as the helicopter flew close overhead, the civilian 3 A/E exposed his genitals to the helicopter crew.
When asked what he had done by other crew members who were present, the 3 A/E allegedly stated, “I just whipped it out to the helicopter.”
An additional witness who had seen the 3 A/E expose his genitals then made a report to the flight operations tower, stating that a person had exposed himself to the helicopter from the aft house deck.
According to the NCIS investigation report, none of the members of the HSC-23 air and ground crew who were participating in the flight operations identified themselves as witnesses to the incident.
The NCIS subsequently launched an investigation to determine if a criminal offense had been committed. However, the NCIS ultimately determined that no violation of criminal law could be identified, as there is no federal law that prohibits exposing ones genitals to others upon the high seas.
After determining no crime had been committed, the matter was then adjudicated through administrative channels as violations of Military Sealift Command rules, regulations, and policies.
According to the NCIS investigation report, the 3 A/E was removed from the USNS MERCY when the vessel reached Guam, and then repatriated to “CONUS” (the continental United States).
The investigation report states that the 3 A/E was then issued a 30 day suspension by MSC before being allowed to return to work.
All CIVMARS aboard MSC vessels, including the Mercy’s 3 A/E, operate under the authority of credentials issued by the U.S. Coast Guard. However, unlike commercial shipping companies, Military Sealift Command is not required to report allegations of sexual misconduct committed by its Coast Guard-credentialed mariners to the Coast Guard. Therefore, the Coast Guard was never informed of this incident and never conducted a Suspension & Revocation investigation.
To submit anonymous tips or stories regarding sexual misconduct within Military Sealift Command, click here.