Former Sub Commander Paid For Filipino Prostitutes: NCIS

PUYALLUP, WA - The former commander of the USS Bremerton was relieved of duty and reassigned to a new submarine squadron this past August after admitting he paid for the company of at least 10 Filipino prostitutes while in port at Subic Bay on Luzon Island in March 2018.

A Freedom of Information Act request by Kitsap Sun reporters published Jan. 11 revealed the reason for Capt. Travis Zettel's reassignment, his relief from duty being previously reported. According to the Sun, Zettel "admitted culpability in the payment of female accompaniment" when questioned by Navy investigators.

The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) began looking into Zettel's extracurricular activities at the Philippines-based port in May, roughly one month after Zettel's Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine returned to Bremerton where it is now waiting to be decommissioned, the Sun reported.

The investigation was reportedly prompted by a tip to the Department of Defense Inspector General's hotline.

The tip was left by a sailor who said Zettel admitted to making a request for 10 girls to come to their hotel, the Sun reported. That same sailor reportedly told investigators Zettel was later seen with around 10 "provocatively dressed females outside the front door of the hotel."

Around the same time, another sailor, who was not identified in the report, was seen with three women "holding onto his arm as he was wandering around," the Sun reported. That sailor was reportedly interviewed by investigators, but they determined the sailor "did not participate in prostitution" and was therefore not punished for any wrongdoing.

Zettel, however, was reprimanded and relieved of his command in August and reassigned to the staff of Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor's Submarine Squadron 19, the Sun reported.

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