Skipper Fined for Harassing Navy Women

The former skipper of a Navy salvage ship was reprimanded and fined by military authorities Friday for sexual harassment of women crew members and other acts.

Lt. Cmdr. Kenneth Harvey was found in violation of 10 charges, including sexual harassment, behavior unbecoming an officer, assault, dereliction of duty and fraternization with enlisted personnel, Lt. Cmdr. Gary Shrout said.

Harvey, a Navy veteran, was relieved of command of the Safeguard on Aug. 7 after accusations that he tried to “sell” female crew members to South Korean forces, later characterized as a “tasteless joke.” He also was charged with condoning nude swimming by crewmen while women crew members were present.

Fined $3,133.80

As punishment, Navy authorities sent Harvey a punitive letter of reprimand and fined him $3,133.80, one half of his base pay for two months, Shrout said.

Pearl Harbor authorities also recommended to higher Navy authorities that Harvey’s relief of command be characterized as “for cause,” a black mark on his record.

Navy officials did not punish Harvey for charges that he tried to “sell” female crew members to the South Koreans.

An investigation indicated the incident was “an insensitive and tasteless joke,” Shrout said. Investigators also found no evidence that there was public sex aboard the ship, he said.

An administrative non-judicial hearing, presided over by Rear Adm. Robert Reimann, Pearl Harbor Naval Base commander, was held Friday to look into more than a dozen charges against Harvey.

The hearing was prompted by a Pentagon report released Thursday that accused the Navy and Marine Corps in the Pacific of engaging in “morally repugnant” sexual harassment of service women.