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USS Truman Command Master Chief steps down after ‘strip club’ comment

Posted at 3:19 PM, May 07, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-07 15:25:54-04

NORFOLK, Va. – Master Chief Jonas Carter has asked to step down as the Command Master Chief of the USS Harry S. Truman and retire.

This announcement comes days after he told sailors to “clap like we’re at a strip club” for Vice President Mike Pence’s arrival aboard the USS Harry S. Truman last week.

“We can confirm that this statement was made by USS Harry S. Truman’s Command Master Chief to Truman’s Sailors, prior to the arrival of the Vice President,” Lt. Cmdr. Laura Stegherr said in a statement.

Master Chief Carter asked Commanding Officer Nick Dienna to provide these words his behalf:

I want one last chance to tell the extraordinary men and women of TRUMAN how blessed and thankful I am to have served as your Command Master Chief. When you find yourself making a mistake, own it, accept responsibility and learn from it. Today, I want each of you to know that I have taken full responsibility of my mistake last week and together with my family, I have decided to retire. I thank you for being my “family” where my family could not be… I thank you for looking each challenge in the eye and conquering it… I thank you for making my tour as your Command Master Chief the very best tour in my 28 year career!

The statement of his retirement was announced through a Facebook post that was written by Commanding Officer Nick Dienna of the USS Harry S. Truman.