The captain of the cruiser USS Lake Erie tortured his crew and fostered a hostile environment aboard the ship before he was relieved of his duties in October, according to a Navy investigation obtained by Navy Times.
Captain Daniel DeFant, who commanded the ship for about 14 months, was fired following an investigation that began after three anonymous subordinates complained of a “toxic command environment and sexual discrimination.”
A Freedom of Information Act request filed by San Diego’s KPBS revealed details of the Navy’s investigation for the first time.
Go here to read the full study.
The investigation uncovered instances in which DeFant created a “toxic” situation by shouting and verbally abusing subordinates, particularly police officers.
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“Captain Defant’s behavior, including his yelling, profanity, and public reprimands, contributed to a culture of fear on board,” the investigation report said.
In one incident, a commanding officer answered a question intended for Defant to a deck officer, causing Defant to grab him by the collar and reprimand him.
Investigators noted that in response, DeFant pulled the officer closer to him and whispered things like: [OOD] …I was talking to OOD…please don’t interrupt me again. ”
This excessive use of physical force was classified as artillery fire under Section 128 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the study said.
One police officer also complained of frequent bullying. The investigation found that DeFant frequently reprimanded the officer, but did not document the performance problems or suggest formal counseling to improve the situation.
“Captain DeFant’s overreach in his reprimand exceeded reasonable standards for correcting professional deficiencies or providing constructive feedback to improve performance,” the investigation said. There is. “In the opinion of the investigators, Capt. DeFant’s actions departed from proper military objectives and were disrespectful and humiliating.”
Smaller incidents also included unwarranted attacks by DeFant. She was noted to be talkative “even on a conversational level” and often resorted to profanity.
During a meeting with senior executives, DeFant became dissatisfied with an executive’s spreadsheet and made changes to the document himself. She then dismissed other officers and yelled at the presenter so loudly that her voice far exceeded the range of the briefing room.
Investigators also noted that DeFant yelled at a junior officer who said he saw dolphins from the bridge, accusing him of not paying attention to his duties.
“There is clear evidence that Captain Defandt’s repeated counterproductive actions have a negative impact on his subordinates and command, and are having a devastating effect on the crew,” the investigation said.
DeFant initially took command of Lake Erie in July 2022. Following the shelling, Rear Admiral Christopher Alexander, commander of Carrier Strike Group 9, took over the post.
She is currently assigned to the Pacific Naval Surface Forces Staff.
Sarah Sicard is a senior editor at Military Times. She previously served as Digital Editor of Military Times and Editor of Army Times. Additional work by her can be found in National Defense Magazine, Task & Purpose, and Defense News.