Because no one will send me a copy on deep background of this one.
Four members of an Oceana-based fighter jet squadron have been disciplined for an "inappropriate video" featuring footage of a female officer that was edited to be "sexually suggestive."Where are all my spies?
The video was filmed without the woman's knowledge as she was eating dinner in a public setting on the carrier Theodore Roosevelt.
It was shown aboard the ship on Nov. 28 as part of "Fo'c'sle Follies," according to a situational report on the incident obtained by The Virginian-Pilot.
Made by three junior officers from Strike Fighter Squadron 31, which is nicknamed "The Tomcatters," the video violated "clear and repeated direction from the strike group commander and air wing commander to keep the content of the video clean and decent," the report said. It noted that VFA-31's commanding officer had approved the video.
Reaction to the clip was swift: The following morning, those responsible were ordered to apologize to the woman. Two days later, the junior officers who made the video were given nonpunitive letters of reprimand. One of the three was ordered back to the United States.
The commanding officer of the squadron, based at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, was ordered to "take immediate and aggressive steps" to correct the squadron's "command climate."
According to The Navy Times, which reported the incident on its Web site Saturday, Cmdr. Daniel Buckon was given a punitive letter of reprimand, which could keep him from advancing.
Lt. Sean Robertson, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon, would not confirm that Monday. Robertson would say only that the commander of the carrier strike group, Rear Adm. Frank Pandolfe, "took appropriate administrative action after the incident and held four officers accountable for their actions."
The female officer depicted in the video was not a member of the carrier's air wing and did not attend the presentation, Robertson said. The report said she asked to watch the video after being informed about it.
Fo'c'sle Follies - the word refers to a ship's forecastle, where the gathering takes place - is a tradition among aviation squadrons deployed on carriers. The informal, often humorous presentations recognize high-performing pilots and personnel.
Robertson said the follies are "intended to be a team-building social function."
"Inappropriate behavior undermines the spirit of an event like this," he said. "The strike group took this seriously and immediately conducted a thorough and complete investigation."
Fo'c'sle Follies has been cancelled for the remainder of the cruise, Robertson said.
The carrier left Norfolk in September and is operating in the Middle East.
