Intel

Commander, CMC Removed From Destroyer USS Bulkeley

June 13, 2022Hannah Ray Lambert
Bulkeley

USS Bulkeley Cmdr. Devine Johnson, left, and Command Master Chief Earl Sanders, right, were relieved of their duties on Friday, June 10, 2022. Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine.

Both the commanding officer and the command master chief of the USS Bulkeley were relieved of their duties Friday, June 10, according to a statement released Saturday by the Navy.


Commodore Capt. Stefan Walch relieved Cmdr. Devine Johnson and Command Master Chief Earl Sanders “due to a loss of confidence in their ability to effectively function as a command leadership team,” according to the Navy statement. Further details about how the pair lost confidence were not immediately available.


Johnson was commissioned into the Navy in 2003 and had served as the commanding officer of the destroyer Bulkeley since July 2020. He had also served as the ship’s executive director for several months before taking over as commanding officer.


Capt. William “Mac” Harkin, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 2, will temporarily take over commanding officer duties of the Bulkeley until a permanent replacement is assigned, the Navy said.


Bulkeley
Cmdr. Devine Johnson, left, and Command Master Chief Earl Sanders, center left, during a meeting March 23, 2022. Johnson and Sanders were relieved of their duties on the guided-missile destroyer USS Bulkeley “due to a loss of confidence in their ability to effectively function as a command leadership team,” according to the Navy. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Anna E. Van Nuys.

Sanders enlisted in the Navy in 1997 and had served as the Bulkeley’s command master chief since June 2021. He will be replaced by Master Chief Petty Officer Christy Reed, also of Destroyer Squadron 2, until a permanent replacement is named, according to the Navy.


Johnson and Sanders are being temporarily reassigned to the staff of the commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic.


The Bulkeley is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer first commissioned in 2001. The ship is home-ported at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.


Read Next: ‘The Ship Is Going to the Surface’ — Bad Navigation, Poor Leadership Led to Submarine Crash



Hannah Ray Lambert
Hannah Ray Lambert

Hannah Ray Lambert is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die who previously covered everything from murder trials to high school trap shooting teams. She spent several months getting tear gassed during the 2020-2021 civil unrest in Portland, Oregon. When she’s not working, Hannah enjoys hiking, reading, and talking about authors and books on her podcast Between Lewis and Lovecraft.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Curtis LeMay
Curtis LeMay: The World War II General Who Firebombed Japan

Who exactly was Gen. Curtis LeMay? And how did he become the commander who razed more than 60 Japanese cities during World War II?

eric smith marine corps commandant nominee
Highly Decorated Marine Officer Nominated To Be Next Commandant

President Joe Biden has nominated a highly decorated Marine officer who has been involved in the transformation of the force to be the next Marine Corps commandant.

USS Arizona
Profile of a Ship: USS Arizona

When the USS Arizona sank, it took 1,177 crew members with it. Today it remains beneath the water as a memorial to all those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor.

b1 bombers bosnia
US Bombers Fly Over Bosnia in Sign of Support Amid Continued Secessionist Threats

A pair of U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers flew low over Sarajevo and several other Bosnian cities...

SR-71 Blackbird
SR-71 Blackbird: The Spy Plane That Could Outrun Missiles

Lockheed Martin’s SR-71 Blackbird was a government secret for years. Now retired, a newer version plans to take its place.

medal of honor recipient remains returned
Missing 73 Years, Medal of Honor Recipient's Remains Return To Georgia

Soldiers of the 9th Infantry Regiment made a desperate retreat as North Korean troops closed in arou...

dear jack
Dear Jack: My Battalion Is Out of Control

In this installment of “Dear Jack,” Marine veteran and amateur life coach Jack Mandaville advises a lieutenant colonel on how to restore order in the lower ranks.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
  • Request a Correction
  • Write for Us
  • General Inquiries
© 2023 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved