KEY POINTS
- The Navy said it has lost confidence in the fired officers’ leadership
- Prior to this, two officers were relieved in a single day late last week
- SLOCs were issued to two Navy officers and three Marine officers over the AAV tragedy
The U.S. Navy announced five firings among officers in less than a week due to a “loss of confidence” in leadership. After the firings, the Navy reiterated that officers are held accountable “when they fall short” of established standards.
The latest removal was announced Tuesday, after Commodore of the Destroyer Squadron (COMDESRON) 23 Capt. Patrick H. O’Mahoney relieved Commander Peter Lesaca from his position as commanding officer of the USS Preble guided-missile destroyer. In a press release, the Navy said Lesaca was removed “due to loss of confidence in his ability to command.” No further details were provided but the Navy said that Deputy Commodore Capt. Larry Repass will take on Lesaca’s role until a qualified commander is chosen for the role.
The Navy also reiterated that “commanding officers are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct,” adding that the said officers “are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability and leadership.” If they fall short of the said standards, “the Navy holds them accountable.”
During the weekend, the Navy also relieved Capt. Jeffry Sandin for the same reason Lesaca lost his position. Sandin was the commanding officer of the Recruit Training Command and will be replaced by the chief of staff of Naval Service Training Command, Capt. Kertreck Brooks.
Last Friday, two officers were fired, namely the commanding officer of the destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) Cmdr. Devine Johnson and Command Master Chief Earl Sanders. The Navy said Johnson and Sanders were removed “due to a loss of confidence in their ability to effectively function as a command leadership team.”
The first such announcement was made last Wednesday when the commanding officer of the Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137 Cmdr. Matthew McCormick was removed from his position also over a “loss of confidence in his ability to command.”
The latest officer firing came a day after Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro issued Secretarial Letters of Censure (SLOCs) to two Navy officers who were in leadership on July 30, 2020, when the Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV) tragedy killed eight Marines and one sailor. Three other Marine Corps officers also received SLOCs due to the AAV’s sinking.
Letters of censure are included in personnel files, and for active military officers, such letters prevent promotion or service progress.
U.S. Navy officers "are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability and leadership.” Photo: AFP / Mladen ANTONOV
