U.S. Navy Cheating Scandal At A Nuclear Training Site Is Far Greater Than Originally Reported

The sailors caught cheating were seeking to be certified as instructors at the nuclear training unit at Charleston, South Carolina. Students there are trained in nuclear reactor operations to prepare for service on any of the Navy’s 83 nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers, like the USS USS Nimitz, pictured. Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Raul Moreno Jr./U.S. Navy

Navy's Nuke Cheating Scandal Is Getting Even Bigger -- Kate Brannen, Complex/Foreign Policy

It turns out that a Navy cheating scandal at a nuclear power training site in Charleston, South Carolina, is much bigger than originally feared.

Senior Navy officials said in February that roughly 20 sailors had cheated on their qualification exams. Now, 78 enlisted sailors are implicated and the Navy is kicking out at least 34 of them, according to the military. Meanwhile, 10 of the sailors remain under criminal investigation. So far, the cheating appears to be limited to this unit in Charleston, but it dates back to at least 2007, according to an internal Navy investigation. The Navy's new punishments were first reported by the Associated Press.

The Navy is requiring additional ethics training and making other changes but some say the problem runs much deeper than just one unit or even one service. The Navy's cheating scandal is just one of several high-profile ethical violations found in the military in the last year.

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Update: Navy kicks out 34 for roles in cheating ring at nuclear power training site -- AP

My Comment: These men and women are suppose to be the best .... clearly they are not. One can only hope that this is an isolated incident.