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HONOLULU
The Navy has relieved a Pearl Harbor-based submarine commander of his command after he became drunk at a Navy ROTC event.
U.S. Pacific Fleet submarine force spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Dave Benham said Tuesday Cmdr. Jeff Cima was found guilty of drunkenness and conduct unbecoming an officer.
Benham says Cima's squadron's commander found him guilty Monday at a captain's mast, or administrative review.
Cima was removed from his command of the USS Chicago for misconduct and loss of confidence in his ability to command.
He's temporarily assigned to Submarine Squadron Three.
Benham says Cima became drunk at a Navy ROTC event on the mainland last week.
Cima's phone number is unlisted. He didn't immediately return a Facebook message seeking comment.
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Get the details 1st people..not such a big deal.
After the talk, Cima and a lieutenant junior grade from the Chicago joined about a dozen Cornell cadets for a pizza and alcoholic drinks, said Olsen, also a submarine officer.
"The commander and the lieutenant had way too much to drink," Olsen said.
As midnight approached, the cadets were unsure what to do.
"They (the cadets) did the right thing and called my staff lieutenant, who took the two officers back to the hotel," Olsen said.
Olsen said the lieutenant reported the incident to him the next day, and he turned the matter over to officials at Pearl Harbor.
Olsen, who commanded the submarine USS Miami from 1996-98, praised the actions of his cadets, saying, "They did the right thing by not allowing the officers to go off on their own."
He described the incident as "a very unfortunate event" and said no laws were broken.
Form your own conclusion . . .
They didn't say there was anything other than the drinking, but, really, how do you tell someone has crossed the line into drunkenness?
Usually the "happy drunks" who just sit there and smile a lot are not taken to task for it. If they don't respond to a question, we assume they couldn't hear us because the club was noisy.
However, people who get combative are noticed. So are people who get lewd when they drink (or racist or . . .). I recall one officer who was sent to DAPA and retained (as an operations officer, so he was given quite a second chance!) after he got drunk overseas, racially insulted a black Air Force general, and then ended the evening by using the top of the bar as the site where he emptied his bladder.
Usually, I have found, when an officer is written up for public drunkenness, he has clearly crossed at least one line of decency . . .
Exponential!
"Usually, I have found, when an officer is written up for public drunkenness, he has clearly crossed at least one line of decency . . .
One line of decency?
Ends up at least three or four "lines" of decency.
Sorry!
What happens in the "Goat Locker" STAYED in the locker- Chief's have always looked out for each other and subordinates-well..mine did anyway! That WAS the Navy!
As for officers? This was a Commander! Of a nuclear submarine! With Weapons Release Authority!
Sorry! He's not Ron White! Drunk in Public is not acceptable!
The "integrity" of his character is being questioned in which he might someday have to perform the "unthinkable"!
And SUBLANTFLT or whatever command HAS to look at this as a "loss of confidence"!
Sorry-Relieved of command! I agree!
Thats a shame
With our young men and women, fighting in Irag and Afganistan. American needs our soldies to be at their best. Cmdr. Jeff Cima is an embarrassment to the Navy and his family. And is certainly no role model, to the ROTC students attending that Navy ROTC event. I would think that a commander of a submarine, is picked from, the cream of the crop. I don't condemn him, but think he should get some serious help.
Not difficult
Be a man and act like an adult, the military doesn't owe you a living...respect the uniform and what it represents or get out.
Acceptable and unacceptable misconduct
Drinking in public and DUI's are bad, very bad since it puts lives in danger. However, this fraternization and having affairs is no ones business since its consenting adults. When I was recruited for the Navy, the recruiter told me as long as you don't get a DUI, you can goto the top or get out honorably and go the corporate route. Later I would find out the use of escort services, affairs with married women and the help were against the rules too? Rules are meant to keep people from harming others, not to dictate societies rules on morality. This is the line.
whatever
Oh so just because you wear a uniform you arent human, people make mistakes, dont act like people in the military do not get drunk and act unbecoming of anything, they are just like you and I, nothing special.
As the commanding Officer part of his job is to
conduct non judicial punishment proceedings (Captain's Mast) on members of his crew. He has near absolute authority over those who he commands. There is not a Captain who has not presided over, passed judgement to, and assigned punishment for an alcohol related infraction.
Given that he has at the least: sentenced people to pay fines (usually a months pay--deducted automatically a half and half month), AND/or resticted them so that they cannot leave the ship (usually 30 days), AND given them extra work to do after working hours (again, usually for thirty days) when they got drunk in public; it would be more than a little hypocritical to give Cmdr. Cima a pass on this.
He can't punish a subordinant for doing what he himself is guilty of doing. This is in large part, why the Navy has lost confidence in his ability to command.
As the commanding Officer part of his job is to
conduct non judicial punishment proceedings (Captain's Mast) on members of his crew. He has near absolute authority over those who he commands. There is not a Captain who has not presided over, passed judgement to, and assigned punishment for an alcohol related infraction.
Given that he has at the least: sentenced people to pay fines (usually a months pay--deducted automatically a half and half month), AND/or resticted them so that they cannot leave the ship (usually 30 days), AND given them extra work to do after working hours (again, usually for thirty days) when they got drunk in public; it would be more than a little hypocritical to give Cmdr. Cima a pass on this.
He can't punish a subordinant for doing what he himself is guilty of doing. This is in large part, why the Navy has lost confidence in his ability to command.