Super Hornet CO fired after DUI arrest

Cmdr. Thomas O'Dowd


Super Hornet CO fired after DUI arrest
By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Nov 16, 2007 15:56:54 EST

SAN DIEGO — The commander of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet training squadron was fired Wednesday, four days after he was jailed on suspicion of driving under the influence at Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.

Navy officials said Cmdr. Thomas O’Dowd, 44, was relieved of command for “a loss of confidence in his ability to lead his squadron,” according to a statement issued by Naval Air Forces in Coronado. Officials provided no other details on the reason.

The decision to fire O’Dowd, who had taken command of Strike Fighter Squadron 122 in July, was made by Capt. Hal Murdock, who commands Strike Fighter Wing-Pacific.

At about 3 a.m. on Nov. 10, according to the Kings County Sheriff’s Department, a Navy uniformed security officer stopped O’Dowd, who was driving a gray Lexus RX300 SUV near a bachelor’s quarters.

The security guard spotted O’Dowd driving erratically and called for the sheriff’s department, which has jurisdiction over the naval station in the Central California Valley. “He was driving and showing an erratic driving pattern, and that’s what caused the security guard to pull over the vehicle,” Assistant Sheriff Brian Wheat said Friday.

A sheriff’s deputy arrived “and did a field sobriety test,” which prompted the deputy to arrest the O’Dowd, Wheat said.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/11/navy_cofired_071115w/

Cheney with two DWI/DUIs
BVush with one DWI/DUI

Take them both away from the red button.