Grisel Marrero’s Role and Deception
Grisel Marrero, who served as the command senior chief aboard the USS Manchester, set up and operated the unauthorized WiFi network during a 2023 deployment.
Source: Freepik
She attempted to hide the network by lying to her superiors and falsifying official records, according to a charge sheet seen by Business Insider.
Demotion and Charges
On May 29, a judgment was filed demoting Marrero from senior chief petty officer to chief petty officer.
Source: Freepik
This ruling followed her conviction for dereliction of duty and providing false statements to her commanders.
Navy Investigation Uncovers Details
A report from Navy Times, based on Navy investigation documents, revealed further details about Marrero’s actions.
Source: Wikimedia
She worked secretly with other enlisted chiefs to install and maintain a Starlink network on the USS Manchester, costing approximately $1,000 per month.
Personal Funding of the Starlink System
Marrero personally funded the Starlink dish and related equipment, spending $2,800 using her own credit card.
Source: Pixabay/Pexels
She also took on the role of network administrator, giving herself control over who could access the network.
Concealing the Dish Installation
The satellite dish was installed by Marrero and another chief on the ship’s weather deck during an “aloft” period.
Source: Freepik
This allowed them to avoid logging the installation and helped them hide the illegal network from official records.
Shared Costs Among Chiefs
While Marrero initially paid for the Starlink dish, the chiefs aboard the Manchester shared the recurring costs.
Source: Freepik
They used the Chief Petty Officer Association debit card to pay the bills and kept access to the network restricted to themselves, according to Navy Times.
Marrero Denies Network Existence
As junior sailors and commanding officers began to notice the WiFi network, Marrero continued to deny its existence.
Source: dole777/Unsplash
Navy Times reported that she lied to her commanding officer three times between July and August 2023, claiming there was no WiFi onboard.
Network Name Change to Avoid Detection
To further conceal the network, Marrero changed its name from “STINKY” to something resembling a wireless printer, even though there were no such printers on the ship.
This information was uncovered during the Navy’s investigation.
Discovery of the Unauthorized Dish
The illegal Starlink dish was discovered on August 18 by a civilian contractor who was installing an authorized satellite communication system.
Source: Freepik
Upon realizing she had been caught, Marrero texted a crew member, “The gig is up,” as revealed in the investigation.
Attempt to Remove Evidence
After being confronted, Marrero and the other chiefs involved tried to remove the dish. They later claimed that they had only used the WiFi network while the ship was in port.
Source: Freepik
Marrero was also accused of tampering with data usage records to further hide the network’s existence.
Marrero Admits to Installing the Network
On August 26, 2023, Marrero admitted to her commanding officer that she had installed the illegal WiFi network.
Source: Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash
Court records show she pled guilty to two counts of dereliction of duty but not guilty to obstruction of justice, though she was ultimately found guilty of all charges.