A series of racist messages allegedly sent by a sailor from the destroyer John S. McCain through the social media app Snapchat outraged other sailors and prompted even more degrading comments on a subsequent Facebook thread.

Fireman Cameron Kyle Alsbrooks reportedly recorded a video this week that featured white individuals using racial slurs with one another, according to multiple sailors who spoke to Navy Times on the condition of anonymity.

When another sailor questioned him about the video, Alsbrooks, who hails from Texas, allegedly responded with a series of racist messages from his Snapchat profile, which, as of publication, has a username of dallas_fire.

The Snapchat exchange from Alsbrooks' alleged Snapchat profile, dallas_fire. (Screenshot courtesy of sailor)

That sailor screenshot the exchange and posted it to her personal Facebook page, making it public.

Once he caught wind of the Facebook post featuring his alleged comments, Alsbrooks tagged one of his friends, another McCain sailor named Austin Fromm, who, according to a May 25 post on the destroyer McCain’s official Facebook page, was recently frocked to third class petty officer.

Fromm quickly joined the fray with derogatory comments of his own, allegedly responding to disgusted sailors with a series of insults.

In one comment, Fromm allegedly asked a female sailor if she is actually a woman, which he then followed up with another post featuring a picture from the female sailor’s own Facebook page.

Another sailor, Austin Fromm, joined in the fray with degrading comments to a female sailor. (Screenshot courtesy of sailor)

Many of the original comments made by Alsbrooks and Fromm in the Facebook thread have since been deleted, and the two have blocked many of the sailors who called them out on their behavior.

Four different active-duty sailors provided various screenshots of the exchanges to Navy Times, however, and other sailors have corroborated the sequence of events.

When one sailor privately messaged Alsbrooks about the Navy’s stance on racism, Alsbrooks responded, “So how does the navy hate racists?”

Alsbrooks alleged Facebook responses to another active-duty sailor. (Screenshot courtesy of sailor)

Other sailors continued to dispute the series of derogatory comments, only to allegedly receive snarky replies from FN Alsbrooks.

One response by Alsbrooks to a female sailor. (Screenshot courtesy of sailor)

Whenever comments came from Alsbrooks’ Facebook profile, additional remarks from Fromm were never far behind.

Austin Fromm's response to other active-duty sailors who were questioning him about defending alleged racist comments made by Cameron Alsbrooks. (Screenshot courtesy of sailor)

Seventh Fleet officials have confirmed that an investigation into the exchanges is underway.

“We are looking into this matter,” said Cmdr. Clay Doss, public affairs officer for U.S. 7th Fleet. “This type of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Seventh Fleet.”

Alsbrooks joined the Navy in April 2017 and reported to the McCain at the end of September, one month after the destroyer’s catastrophic collision with an oil tanker, an accident that claimed the lives of 10 sailors.

Jon Simkins is a writer and editor for Military Times, and a USMC veteran.

Share:
In Other News
Load More