# CO of USS The Sullivans Relieved of Command



## ccheese (May 26, 2010)

CO of USS The Sullivans Relieved

May 20, 2010 Navy News 

MANAMA, Bahrain - The commanding officer of the Mayport-based destroyer USS The Sullivans [DDG 68], Cmdr. Neil Funtanilla, was relieved of command by Commander, Combined Task Force (CTF) 50, Rear Adm. Phil Davidson, due to loss of confidence, following an Admiral's Mast.

The Non-Judicial Punishment (NJP) proceedings were convened to address allegations that Funtanilla was derelict in the performance of his duties during an inbound transit to the port of Bahrain, when his ship collided with a buoy.

The misjudgments associated with this incident called into question Funtanilla's ability to continue to effectively and safely lead his command. As a result, he was relieved due to loss of confidence. 

Cmdr. Robert Cepek, the Surface Operations Officer for CTF 50, will temporarily command USS The Sullivans until a permanent replacement is named.

Funtanilla, who took command of the ship in August 2009, has been temporarily reassigned to administrative duties at U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.


Another skipper bites the dust....

Charles


----------



## syscom3 (May 26, 2010)

Not paying attention to navigation has cost many a skipper their command.


----------



## Matt308 (May 26, 2010)

Whatever happened to the sub commander that collided with underwater terra-forma? You guys remember that? Was he relieved of command too?


----------



## N4521U (May 26, 2010)

Good to see the Sullivans are still remembered and honored.


----------



## syscom3 (May 26, 2010)

Matt308 said:


> Whatever happened to the sub commander that collided with underwater terra-forma? You guys remember that? Was he relieved of command too?



The undersea mountain near Guam?


----------



## Matt308 (May 26, 2010)

Yeah I think that was it and what about the Hawaii accident where they rammed the Japanese ship during a practice emergency surface? What happened to those commanders? I don't recall reading about the final outcome. I can't imagine it was good.


----------



## syscom3 (May 26, 2010)

The undersea mount was not on any maps, so I doubt the skipper can be held accountable.


----------



## RabidAlien (May 26, 2010)

Sonar would've told him there was something there. As for the skipper who surfaced under the Japanese boat, I think he was scapegoated and relieved of command. Periscopes don't look upwards, and an emergency blow comes up at a pretty steep angle....very easy for a small ship to be in the blind-spot and unlucky enough to be occupying the same piece of surface that the sub wants to use...


----------



## syscom3 (May 26, 2010)

Sonar doesnt work well when the ship is at high speed.

Plus what are the operators going to do .... listen for the mount?


----------



## RabidAlien (May 27, 2010)

Ummmm....yeah. And exactly how fast do you think a sub can go underwater? It can't outrun soundwaves.


----------



## timshatz (May 27, 2010)

RabidAlien said:


> Ummmm....yeah. And exactly how fast do you think a sub can go underwater? It can't outrun soundwaves.



Faster you go, the less clear the sound is. But that is considering the sonar being in active mode, which most subs (and ships) usually don't use. The majority of the sonar work is done with passive sonar. That just listens. If the thing isn't making any noise (and sea mounts tend to be very quiet, like mountains on dry land) then they won't hear it. 

And the sub won't use active sonar if there is no reason. Subs like to be quiet, it's the advantage they least like to lose. Flip on the active sonar and it's like turning on a flashlight in a dark room full of people. Everybody know where you are, usually who you are too. No problem if all the people in the room are friends and expect the flashlight. Not good if some (or all) of the people aren't always of the same perspective as you.


----------



## RabidAlien (May 27, 2010)

timshatz said:


> Faster you go, the less clear the sound is. But that is considering the sonar being in active mode, which most subs (and ships) usually don't use. The majority of the sonar work is done with passive sonar. That just listens. If the thing isn't making any noise (and sea mounts tend to be very quiet, like mountains on dry land) then they won't hear it.
> 
> And the sub won't use active sonar if there is no reason. Subs like to be quiet, it's the advantage they least like to lose. Flip on the active sonar and it's like turning on a flashlight in a dark room full of people. Everybody know where you are, usually who you are too. No problem if all the people in the room are friends and expect the flashlight. Not good if some (or all) of the people aren't always of the same perspective as you.



I know. I served on three. They also have a terrain-mapping sonar that scans the floor. I've been on watch in the control room when we had to make a slight detour due to a rise in ocean floor that "may have been" a mountain. We didn't stick around to find out.


----------

