Cmdr. Bryce Benson

Top Stories 2019: Law, Policy and the Navy

This post is part of a series of review stories looking back at the top naval news from 2019.

The Gallagher Case, Aftermath

Arguably no criminal case has changed the Navy more than the service’s troubled prosecution of Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Gallagher.

After an investigation sparked from complaints from fellow SEALs, the service charged Gallagher “with murder, attempted murder and a string of other alleged war crimes,” as part of a deployment in 2017 with SEAL Team 7, reported Navy...

https://news.usni.org/2020/01/02/top-stories-2019-law-policy-and-the-navy

Former USS Fitzgerald CO Benson to Retire as Commander Next Month

Cmdr. Bryce Benson, then-executive officer, assists in bringing down the battle ensign aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) in 2016. US Navy Photo

The former commander of a guided-missile destroyer that was involved in a fatal collision in 2017 will retire at his current rank and will be eligible for retirement and medical benefits, his lawyer confirmed to USNI News on Wednesday.

Cmdr. Bryce Benson will retire from the Navy on Dec. 29 after a two-year legal battle with the Navy over his role in the...

https://news.usni.org/2019/11/20/former-uss-fitzgerald-co-benson-to-retire-as-commander-next-month

Former USS Fitzgerald CO Outlines Defense in Rebuttal to SECNAV

Cmdr. Bryce Benson, then-executive officer, assists in bringing down the battle ensign aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) in 2016. US Navy Photo

The former commander of USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) is pushing back against a rebuke from the Secretary of the Navy, disputing major facts in the service’s argument he was criminally negligent leading up the June 17, 2017, fatal collision, according to a copy of the April 26 rebuttal obtained by USNI News.

Earlier this month, Richard V. Spencer wrote that former

https://news.usni.org/2019/04/26/former-uss-fitzgerald-co-outlines-defense-in-rebuttal-to-secnav

Navy Set to Drop All Criminal Charges Against Fitzgerald CO, Junior Officer; SECNAV Will Issue Letters of Censure

USS Fitzgerald pierside at the U.S. naval base at Yokosuka, Japan in June 2017.

The Navy plans to drop all criminal charges against two officers for their roles in the 2017 fatal collision of USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), USNI News has learned.

Former Fitzgerald commander Cmdr. Bryce Benson and tactical action officer Lt. Natalie Combs will no longer face criminal negligence charges for their roles and will instead be issued career-ending letters of censure from Secretary of the Navy Richard V....

https://news.usni.org/2019/04/10/navy-set-to-drop-all-criminal-charges-against-fitzgerald-co-junior-officer-secnav-will-issue-letters-of-censure

USS Fitzgerald CO, Junior Officer Receive Formal Censure Ahead Dismissal of Negligence Charges

USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) stands by before it is loaded onto the heavy lift transport vessel MV Transshelf in 2017. US Navy Photo

Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer has issued formal letters of censure to the former commander and tactical action officer of USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) for their roles in the June 17, 2017, collision between a destroyer and a merchant ship.

In the letters dated April 9 to Cmdr. Bryce Benson and Lt. Natalie Combs, Spencer admonishes the pair for “incompetent...

https://news.usni.org/2019/04/11/uss-fitzgerald-co-junior-officer-ahead-dismissal-of-negligence-charges

Board Finds ‘No Basis’ to Remove Officer Involved in USS Fitzgerald Collision from Navy

The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) arrives at the port of Pascagoula, Miss. on Jan. 19, 2018 aboard the heavy lift transport vessel M/V Transshelf. US Navy Photo

A board of inquiry moved not to separate from service a sailor who the Navy had previously charged with negligent homicide for his role in the 2017 fatal collision of USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62), USNI News has learned.

On Friday, a board found “no basis” to separate Lt. Irian Woodley from the Navy for cause, Woodley’s...

https://news.usni.org/2019/03/11/board-finds-no-basis-remove-officer-involved-uss-fitzgerald-collision-navy

Military Judge Disqualifies Naval Reactors Director Caldwell from Overseeing Fitzgerald CO Trial

Adm. James F. Caldwell, Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, gives remarks during a senior leader all hands at Sharkey Theater, July 11, 2017. US Navy Photo

A military judge has disqualified Director of Naval Reactors Adm. Frank Caldwell from overseeing the upcoming negligence trial of the former USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) commander due to actions Caldwell made during other legal proceedings related to the fatal 2017 collision, according to a copy of a Tuesday ruling obtained by USNI News.

Cal...

https://news.usni.org/2019/01/23/military-judge-disqualifies-naval-reactors-director-caldwell-overseeing-fitzgerald-co-trial

Top Stories 2018: Major Navy Legal Cases

Several high profile legal actions for the Navy occurred in 2018 from the ongoing Fat Leonard investigation to several special operations cases and the ongoing accountability actions for the Western Pacific destroyer collisions that killed 17 sailors.

Western Pacific Collisions

USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) is pulled towards a pier after departing from a dry dock at Fleet Activities Yokosuka on Nov. 27, 2018. US Navy Photo

Navy leadership issued criminal charges to sailors involved in the 2017 fatal...

https://news.usni.org/2018/12/28/top-stories-2018-major-navy-legal-cases