History
In 2003, the USS Cowpens became the first United States Navy ship to launch ordnance in the opening stages of the Iraq War, in which she fired 37 Tomahawk cruise missiles. In March 2003 Cowpens was assigned to Carrier Group Five.
On 13 January 2010, the ship's commanding officer, Captain Holly Graf, was relieved of command by Rear Admiral Kevin Donegan, Commander, Carrier Strike Group Five, following the imposition of non-judicial punishment. The punishment followed an investigation which verified allegations of cruelty and maltreatment toward her crew, and conduct unbecoming an officer — violations of articles 93 and 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, by Graf during her tenure as captain of the USS Cowpens. The investigation was initiated after multiple allegations and complaints of physical and verbal abuse were made to Naval Criminal Investigative Service and the Navy Inspector General by several members of the crew. Captain Graf was subsequently replaced as the commanding officer by Captain Robert Marin. A subsequent Time article revealed that Graf had a history of abusive treatment of subordinates in earlier assignments and that Navy leaders had not acted on previous complaints about her behavior. The US Navy forced Graf into early retirement in 2012, but allowed her to do so at her current rank of Captain and under "honorable circumstances."
On 10 February 2012, Robert Marin was relieved of command of the cruiser after admitting to an adulterous relationship with another captain's wife.
Read more about this topic: USS Cowpens (CG-63)
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