Friday, April 17, 2015

U.S. Pacific Fleet's master chief fired amid travel questions

Mark D. Faram, Navy Times
16 April 2015


The Pacific Fleet's senior enlisted leader has been sacked amid allegations of travel irregularities.
Fleet Master Chief (SW/AW) Marco Ramirez was relieved by his boss, Pacific Fleet Commander Adm. Harry Harris, after a command investigation into allegations that Ramirez violated travel rules.
Multiple Navy officials said Ramirez's relief happened after an investigation concluded he tried to defraud the government by manipulating the Defense Travel System. Ramirez, as a fleet master chief, is one of the Navy's top enlisted and this is one of the most high-profile reliefs of enlisted leaders in years.
The Navy issued a brief news release Thursday saying Ramirez "had not performed up to the high standards of his office."
Force Master Chief Russell Mason, who has been serving as the Submarine Force Pacific master chief is being
temporarily assigned pending a permanent relief, according to official sources.
Ramirez, those sources said, will be temporarily assigned elsewhere in Pacific Fleet Headquarters. Ramirez could not be immediately reached for comment Thursday.
As PACFLT's master chief, Ramirez served as the senior enlisted leader, mentor and role model for 140,000 sailors.
Ramirez enlisted in the Navy in 1984 as an aviation boatswain's mate (equipment) and later shifted to legalman, according to his official bio. He has served as a command master chief for 5th Fleet, 6th Fleet and Strike Fighter Squadron 94.
He is a graduate of the Navy's senior enlisted academy and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland, according to his bio.

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