How Navy chiefs conspired to get themselves illegal warship Wi-Fi

En enlisted leaders installed and secretly used their very own Wi-Fi network aboard a Navy ship last year .

The chiefs installed a satellite internet dish on the top of the ship and used it to check sports scores, text home and stream movies.

A Navy investigation found that the entire chiefs mess knew about the system.

A senior enlisted leader was relieved in late 2023 after repeatedly misleading and lying to her ship’s command.

The Manchester ’s secret Wi-Fi network was born in March 2023 , when Marrero and a co-conspirator got to work buying and installing the Starlink system.

The Starlink dish was installed on the Manchster 's O-5 level weatherdeck during a “blanket” aloft period, which requires a sailor to hang high above or over the side of the ship.

Moore told the crew during an all-hands call on July 14, 2023 , that no covert Wi-Fi network existed aboard the ship.

Marrero and the chiefs mess knew ahead of time that the Starshield installation near their secret Starlink dish could expose their network, but they agreed to keep the dish installed.

An unidentified chief provided Moore with false statements regarding the installation of the dish and who was responsible.