Several Navy SEAL members are being disciplined after investigators uncovered alleged racist messages they sent in a group chat. According to CBS News, 18 members were disciplined for allegedly sending racist messages that were sent to a fellow Black SEAL between 2021 and 2024.

Following the investigation, the Navy demoted some of the members, imposed forfeiture of pay for others, and issued formal letters of counseling to some.

What racist messages did the Black Navy SEAL receive?

CBS News obtained documents that revealed several racist memes that targeted a Black SEAL member in a group chat. One of the memes, sent in 2022, showed a caption that read, “Slave in Chains.”

Another 2022 meme was titled “Monkey Face,” showing the Black SEAL looking like a monkey with a distorted face. In 2023, the SEALs sent a meme which compared their peer to Radio, the character from the real-life based film of the same name starring Cuba Gooding Jr.

The Navy launched an investigation after the Black SEAL filed complaints in March

As CBS News reported, the SEAL said in his complaint that he didn’t face racism when he was going through two years of training to become a SEAL. After he joined the platoon, however, the SEAL said the racism he faced “was persistent, targeted and deeply dehumanizing.”

“It wasn’t just an attack on me personally — it reflected a breakdown in the very discipline and integrity the Teams are supposed to uphold,” he wrote, per CBS News.  

The SEAL also revealed that his name was removed from two plaques that recognized him for serving on SEAL Team Four. Per the complaint, the SEAL said the removal of his name was “a final, disgraceful act to make it clear that I was not welcome” and it was “a direct and unmistakable act of hatred.” 

“These were men who were supposed to be my brothers, but instead, they either participated in or enabled a culture of bigotry and silence,” the SEAL added.