Babette R. Bolivar
Nickname(s)Bette
Born1962 (age 61–62)
Hawaii
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Navy
Years of service1985–2021
RankRear Admiral (lower half)
Commands heldNavy Region Southwest
Navy Region Southeast
Joint Region Marianas/Task Force West
Navy Region Northwest
Naval Weapons Station Yorktown
USS Salvor (ARS-52)
AwardsDefense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (4)
Alma materUnited States Naval Academy (BS)
Troy State University (MS)

Babette Rose Bolivar (born 1962)[1] is a retired United States Navy rear admiral who last served as the commander of Navy Region Southwest (nicknamed "The Navy Mayor of San Diego") from March 14, 2019 to July 16, 2021. She was the second woman and first Filipino-American to command the navy region, which covers California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico.[2][3]

She previously served as the 42nd[4] commander of Navy Region Southeast from February 2017 to February 2019, with tours as commander of Navy Joint Region Marianas and Task Force West, dual-hatted as PACOM representative to Guam from August 2014 to January 2017, commander of Navy Region Northwest from June 2013 to July 2014, commanding officer of Naval Weapons Station Yorktown from August 2007 to June 2010 and commanding officer of USS Salvor (ARS-52) in the 1990s.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11] She was promoted to her latest rank on March 1, 2014.[12]

She retired from active duty in 2021 after relinquishing command of Navy Region Southwest to Stephen D. Barnett.[13]

Early life and education

A native of Hawaii, Bolivar was raised by traditional Filipino-American parents, retired U.S. Navy sailor Ted Sereno Bolivar from Nabua, Camarines Sur, and Virginia Dolor Bolivar from Pangasinan. She received her commission from the United States Naval Academy where she received a B.S. degree in Oceanography in 1985. She also has an M.S. degree in management from Troy University.[14][15]

Controversies

In 2017, Bolivar was officially reprimanded by then-commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Philip S. Davidson for three of five substantiated allegations against her in relation to the Fat Leonard scandal which took place during her command of the USS Salvor in 1998. Davidson's letter of reprimand determined that Bolivar had wrongly accepted gifts in the form of "a free hotel room, dinner, drinks, entertainment and a golf excursion" from Leonard Glenn Francis, owner of Glenn Defense Marine Asia. However, it was also argued that she had never willingly accepted the gifts or was aware of Fat Leonard's criminal activities in any way, and Davidson instead considered the matter closed. No further action was taken against her.[16][17]

In 2019, Chief of Naval Operations John M. Richardson unexpectedly stripped Bolivar of her authority to preside over two SEAL-related court-martial cases, namely those of Jacob X. Portier and Eddie Gallagher. This was in response to a letter by Bolivar to Gallagher's civilian defense attorney, Timothy Parlatore, requesting that a harsher punishment be meted out to the Navy SEAL, suggesting that factors such as witness intimidation, interference with the administration of justice, the effect of deferment on the good order and discipline on the command and Gallagher’s character could be considered, and that Parlatore’s plea “fails to satisfy” those concerns". In essence, this was a show of support for a harsher punishment for Gallagher in opposition to what was supported by the military jury of his peers.[17]

References

  1. ↑ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy on Active Duty. Bureau of Naval Personnel. October 1, 1990. p. 110. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  2. ↑ "San Diego has a new 'Navy Mayor' as Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar takes command of Navy Region Southwest". San Diego Union-Tribune. March 23, 2019.
  3. ↑ Daraskevich, Joe. "Change of command goes from one woman to another for first time at Navy Region Southeast". The Florida Times-Union.
  4. ↑ "SECNAV: Installations in Southeast Are Strategically Important". Washington Headquarters Services.
  5. ↑ "Photos: Change of Command at Navy Region Southeast". The Florida Times-Union.
  6. ↑ Staff, Neil Pang | Post News. "Bolivar hands reins to new commander". The Guam Daily Post.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ↑ "Bolivar Assumes Command of Joint Region Marianas". Stripes Guam. August 15, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Navy Region Northwest change of command". DVIDS.
  9. ↑ "Bolivar excels during short stint leading Navy Region Northwest". www.kitsapsun.com.
  10. ↑ Clayton, Cindy. "Change of command today at Yorktown Naval Weapons Station". pilotonline.com.
  11. ↑ "1998.pdf" (PDF).
  12. ↑ "July 2021 Roster (Public).pdf" (PDF). MyNavyHR.
  13. ↑ "San Diego to get new 'Navy Mayor' in change of command Friday". San Diego Union-Tribune. July 16, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Meet Fil-Am Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar". Rappler.
  15. ↑ "Rear Admiral Bette Bolivar". www.navy.mil.
  16. ↑ "Admiral who oversaw Gallagher prosecution implicated in 'Fat Leonard' probe, Navy documents indicate". San Diego Union-Tribune. August 6, 2019.
  17. 1 2 Prine, Carl (August 6, 2019). "Before she handled SEAL war crimes cases, one-star was tied to 'Fat Leonard'". Navy Times.
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