{"id":100266,"date":"2026-08-06T17:24:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T17:24:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smg.go-vip.net\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2026\/08\/06\/navys-head-auditor-harassed-ridiculed-subordinates-probe-finds\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T18:39:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T18:39:05","slug":"navys-head-auditor-harassed-ridiculed-subordinates-probe-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2026\/08\/06\/navys-head-auditor-harassed-ridiculed-subordinates-probe-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Navy fires top auditor amid report that she insulted subordinates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s note: A Navy official told Military Times Friday that Donjette Gilmore has been removed as auditor general and placed on administrative leave during the investigation.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official in charge of tracking the Navy\u2019s finances mocked the smell, weight and appearance of subordinates and made hiring decisions that appeared to show bias in favor of other African American women, a new report from the Pentagon\u2019s top watchdog<\/a> finds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 42-page probe<\/a> concludes that Donjette Gilmore, auditor general of the Navy Audit Service, made a habit of harassing and belittling subordinates, creating a hostile work environment and reducing some employees to tears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of 27 witnesses interviewed by the Inspector General, 23 said they had personally witnessed, experienced or heard about this behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Specific comments alleged by witnesses included, \u201cOh, your perfume stinks. She stinks. You stink;\u201d \u201cOh, my God, you look like a witch;\u201d \u201cNo. Let\u2019s take the stairs because [you need] the exercise;\u201d \u201cYour clothes are too tight;\u201d and \u201cYou need to stop eating cookies [because] [y]ou don\u2019t need to eat cookies,\u201d among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employees reported being berated and told to \u201cshut up\u201d in staff meetings and mentioned instances in which two single parents were targeted with derogatory comments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNobody told you all to have kids,\u201d Gilmore allegedly said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, according to the report, she created a culture of fear around reporting alleged misconduct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWitnesses told us that they and their colleagues were afraid to file complaints against Ms. Gilmore and that no safe or effective channel existed to address their harassment allegations,\u201d investigators wrote. \u201cThey believed that previous complaints were ignored and mishandled and that Ms. Gilmore would find out they complained against her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eight witnesses also said Gilmore tried to hide negative feedback from command climate surveys administered in 2023 and 2024, ordering that specific comments be redacted on briefing slides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This week, the Navy published new guidance on transparency in the administration of command climate surveys. Officials did not confirm to Military Times whether the guidance was linked to the IG report on Gilmore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA strong and positive command climate is the bedrock of our warfighting advantage. Because our people are our most valuable asset, a command climate that fosters trust, respect, and psychological safety is not a \u2018nice to have\u2019; it is a combat multiplier,\u201d the Navy administrative message states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report also finds that Gilmore\u2019s behavior in 17 different hiring actions showed a preference for external candidates and non-competitive practices and thus \u201ccreated an appearance\u201d of favoritism. Eight African American women were hired to fill 13 of the 17 roles, with some of them being selected for more than one position, the probe found. Nine of the hires were made without a competitive selection process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Witnesses, who the watchdog noted included seven current and former Audit Service employees who are Black women, also alleged Gilmore made racially specific comments about hiring and employees, including stating \u201cthat she needed to keep an employee by keeping him happy because \u2018he is white.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the report concluded that Gilmore misused her role in various ways, most notably by pressuring a subordinate to submit sexual harassment allegations as part of an extended effort to discredit another official, Ronnie Booth, who\u2019d previously been selected over her in 2018 to become the Navy\u2019s auditor general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMs. Gilmore took other extraordinary steps in her efforts to discredit Mr. Booth,\u201d the IG found. \u201cSpecifically, Ms. Gilmore: <\/p>\n\n\n\n