‘Improper relationship’ led to Ike XO firing - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

‘Improper relationship’ led to Ike XO firing

NORFOLK, Va. — The No. 2 officer on the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower was officially fired Monday afternoon following an investigation into allegations of an “improper relationship,” Naval Air Force Atlantic announced.

Rear Adm. Ted Branch relieved Capt. Robert Gamberg as executive officer of the carrier during admiral’s mast in Norfolk, Va., at which Gamberg was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer and failure to obey a lawful order or regulation.

AIRLANT announced June 1 that Gamberg was being “temporarily reassigned” to staff duty while an investigation was conducted.

Branch also gave Gamberg a punitive letter of reprimand, which will go into Gamberg’s permanent personnel file. Such letters are considered career-killers. In addition, Branch is recommending to the chief of naval personnel that Gamberg be detached for cause and ordered before a show-cause board, AIRLANT spokesman Cmdr. Phil Rosi said.

At such boards, a three-member board of inquiry determines whether an officer should be separated from the Navy, should be awarded an honorable, general or other-than-honorable discharge and also recommends at which paygrade the officer should retire.

The improper relationship did not involve anyone else in the Navy, Rosi said. He declined to further identify or describe the other party, citing privacy concerns.

Temporarily taking Gamberg’s place is his predecessor as executive officer on Ike, Capt. Ted Williams. Williams is slated to take command of the 6th Fleet flagship Mount Whitney. Rosi emphasized that the temporary job will not affect Williams’ assignment.

“It just so happened that he was temporarily assigned here at AIRLANT when this happened,” Rosi said. “He was the logical choice to be the interim XO. This is not going to impact his command tour.”

Rosi said he couldn’t say how long it will take to fill the job permanently but that “it will be soon.”

Gamberg will remain on the AIRLANT staff “during the ongoing administrative process,” Rosi said.