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Anyone who joins the United States Navy knows they’ll give up a lot of comforts if they get sent out to sea. But some sailors on the USS Manchester went really far to make sure they had WiFi before their plan backfired.
It’s no secret that U.S. Navy ships follow strict rules because national security is super important.
The men and women serving on those ships know the risks of breaking these rules.
However, according to documents obtained by the Navy Times, fear of discipline wasn’t enough to stop some crew members on the USS Manchester from ensuring they wouldn’t have to worry about internet access before patrolling the Pacific Ocean in 2023.
The ship, costing over $500 million, has top-notch communication gear. But sailors knew they’d be without WiFi once at sea.
This didn’t sit well with Command Senior Chief Grisel Marrero. She was demoted to Chief Petty Officer for planning a secret scheme to install a Starlink satellite on the weather deck of the Manchester.
Marrero and at least 15 other chiefs chipped in to buy the equipment and cover the $1,000 monthly fee.
They used a WiFi network named “STINKY” to stay updated on news, sports, stream movies, and text people back home.
Of course, it didn’t take long for other sailors who weren’t in on the plan to hear about it and alert the ship’s commander.
The officer behind the plot first denied knowing about the Starlink device. Then tried renaming the network to look like a wireless printer.
Multiple sweeps didn’t find the satellite. The secret was blown when a civilian contractor installing a sanctioned Starlink system found the illegal equipment in August 2023.
Marrero was court-martialed for her role. The Navy said it posed a “serious risk to mission, operational security, and information security.” She faced a reduction in rank as a result.
