Navy SEALs investigated, disciplined over racist memes of fellow SEAL

Two Navy SEALs are being disciplined following an investigation into racist memes they developed about a fellow member of their special forces unit. 

A couple of enlisted Team 4 members are facing non-judicial punishment and punitive letters in their files, which could end their careers or result in demotions or loss of pay, according to a Defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press. The memes depicted the black SEAL as a slave, which the AP reviewed, according to the wire's report on Tuesday.

The sailor reported the incidents this year, but they began in 2022, and the memes circulated for years after being sent in a group chat with other team members, according to the official. He was in one of the SEAL Team 4 platoons but his qualifications and SEAL trident were revoked last year, which he alleged was due to the racist treatment.

As a result of the investigation, the sailor’s SEAL qualifications are being reinstated, and he will get back pay, according to two officials. The platoon and SEAL Team 4 leaders inadequately addressed the sailor's concerns about racist behavior and were flawed in their decision to revoke his qualification, the probe found.

“This was a very shocking case of explicit and repeated racist memes directed at our client in a platoon-wide text thread,” Timothy Parlatore, the sailor’s lawyer, told the AP. “They modified his face in photos to look like a monkey and portrayed him as a chained slave on a slave ship, among others.”

The platoon and team leaders are also receiving disciplinary letters in their files, which could impact their careers as SEALs.

Naval Special Warfare Command in a statement acknowledged the investigation into “serious allegations of unprofessional conduct within one of our commands” and said “accountability actions are ongoing.”

“[W]e are dedicated to fostering a climate of dignity and respect, and after conducting a thorough and fair investigation, we will hold anyone found responsible of misconduct accountable,” the command said.

Parlatore praised NSW head Rear Adm. Jamie Sands and his staff for their swift action to “investigate, reverse the negative repercussions that our client received, and move to hold people accountable.”