SAN DIEGO - Four officers and seven sailors from the U.S. nuclear submarine USS Hampton reportedly were disciplined for falsifying chemical tests and cheating on exams.
The infractions occurred during the attack sub's seven-month deployment in the western Pacific Ocean last year, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported during the weekend.
Lt. Alli Myrick, a spokeswoman for Submarine Squadron 11, the San Diego-based command that includes the Hampton, said the squadron commander dismissed the submarine's commanding officer and chief engineer.
An investigation determined that weekly chemical tests involving high-purity water for cooling the Hampton's nuclear reactor had been falsified as far back as November 2006. Samples of the coolant analyzed after the Hampton's return to San Diego showed no damage to the reactor core.
Further investigation revealed an officer and others had falsified test scores or received answers in advance for exams to certify various officers, the San Diego newspaper said.
The Union-Tribune said the Navy's report cited Cmdr. Mike Portland for setting "unachievable standards for his crew," for being "intolerant of failure" and berating personnel in public. Such leadership issues led to the problems found in the investigation, the newspaper reported.
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