Virginia Beach, VA – Two Navy SEALs stationed in Virginia are facing disciplinary measures due to racist conduct, and several of their platoon and team leaders are being held accountable for leadership deficiencies, according to a defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an ongoing investigation.
The two enlisted members of SEAL Team 4 are being punished for creating and distributing racist memes that targeted a Black sailor within their platoon. These memes, shared in a group chat with other team members, depicted the Black sailor in a manner consistent with slavery, according to visuals reviewed by The Associated Press.
The targeted sailor reported the incidents this year, although the racist behavior and circulation of the memes reportedly began in 2022 and persisted for several years. The sailor, who was previously part of a SEAL Team 4 platoon, had his SEAL qualifications and trident revoked last year. He alleged that this removal was a direct result of the racist treatment he endured.
Two officials indicated that the investigation conducted by Naval Special Warfare Group 2 has led to the reinstatement of the sailor’s SEAL qualifications, and he will receive back pay. This group oversees SEAL Team 4 and its subordinate platoons, which are based at Joint Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The investigation revealed that the platoon and SEAL Team 4 leaders did not adequately address the sailor’s concerns regarding the racist behavior, and the decision to revoke his qualifications was deemed flawed.
Timothy Parlatore, the lawyer representing the Black sailor, described the situation as “a very shocking case of explicit and repeated racist memes directed at our client in a platoon-wide text thread,” referring to the memes shared via the Signal messaging application. He further stated that the memes “modified his face in photos to look like a monkey and portrayed him as a chained slave on a slave ship, among others.”
The two enlisted sailors responsible for the creation and dissemination of the racist memes face non-judicial punishment and punitive letters being placed in their official service records. Both of these actions can have severe career implications, potentially leading to demotions or loss of pay. Additional disciplinary actions are still under consideration.
Furthermore, the platoon and team leaders are also facing administrative actions, including disciplinary letters in their files, which could impact their continued service as Navy SEALs.
Naval Special Warfare Command issued a statement acknowledging the investigation into “serious allegations of unprofessional conduct within one of our commands” and affirmed that “accountability actions are ongoing.” The command emphasized its commitment to “fostering a climate of dignity and respect” and stated that “after conducting a thorough and fair investigation, we will hold anyone found responsible of misconduct accountable.”
Parlatore commended Rear Adm. Jamie Sands, the head of Naval Special Warfare, and his staff for their swift action in initiating the investigation, reversing the negative repercussions experienced by his client, and moving to hold those responsible accountable.
This incident represents the latest in a series of significant investigations into behavioral issues and command failures within Naval Special Warfare Command, underscoring long-standing concerns about racial dynamics within the elite special operations forces.
Notably, commando forces across the military branches, particularly the officer ranks, tend to exhibit significantly less racial diversity compared to the military as a whole. Statistics provided to the AP by Naval Special Warfare in March 2021 revealed that a full 95% of all SEAL and combatant-craft crew officers were White, with only 2% being Black. The enlisted ranks showed only a marginal increase in diversity. These figures stand in stark contrast to the overall Navy population, where approximately 40% of the enlisted force and 24% of its officers are non-White.
According to the defense official, the Black sailor filed more than a dozen specific complaints detailing racist behavior, and approximately half of these complaints were substantiated during the investigation.
As Naval Special Warfare Group 2 leaders began their inquiry into these complaints, a separate incident emerged: a White sailor also reported experiencing bullying from other members of the platoon. This additional complaint amplified broader concerns regarding the command climate and contributed to the subsequent findings of leadership failures within the unit.
Other recent investigations within Naval Special Warfare Command have also uncovered issues related to training protocols and command oversight.
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