Navy Officer Demoted For Secretly Installing Starlink On Ship To Check Social Media
A U.S. Navy chief who sought to provide internet access for personal use while deployed was removed from her position after installing an unauthorized Starlink satellite dish on a Navy warship, according to an investigation.
The chief, Grisel Marrero, aimed to enable herself and fellow enlisted officers to access social media, sports scores, and entertainment during their deployment.
Marrero, who was the command senior chief of the littoral combat ship USS Manchester, was quietly relieved of her duties in August or September 2023. The details of the investigation were released recently, with the Navy Times first breaking the story.
As per the investigation, Marrero, a former information systems technician, alongside other senior leaders, purchased a Starlink High Performance Kit in April 2023 for $2,800.
The equipment was installed before the Manchester deployed from San Diego, with more than a dozen chief petty officers using it to communicate with family and stay updated on current events.
When they discovered the wireless signal did not extend to all areas of the ship, they purchased signal amplifiers during a stop at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
The investigation also revealed that the chief petty officers used funds from their Chief Petty Officer Association’s debit card to cover the monthly $1,000 Starlink bill. However, this network was not shared with junior sailors on the ship, remaining exclusive to senior personnel.
In an attempt to conceal the unauthorized network, Marrero allegedly renamed it “Stinky” to disguise it as a printer on the ship’s systems. She further denied the network’s existence and even intercepted a suggestion from the commanding officer’s box regarding the network.
Internet access aboard Navy ships is typically restricted to preserve bandwidth for military operations and prevent cybersecurity threats. Marrero’s actions violated these protocols, and she was subsequently convicted at a court-martial in March.
She pleaded guilty to dereliction of duty and providing false official statements to her commanders. As a result, she was demoted from command senior chief to chief petty officer.
Navy spokesperson Cmdr. Cindy Fields confirmed Marrero’s dismissal, stating that she was removed due to “a loss of confidence in her leadership abilities.” Fields emphasized the high standards expected from Navy senior enlisted leaders, adding that those who fail to meet these standards are held accountable.
