US Navy ousts USS John S. McCain Commander due to 'loss of confidence'
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Commander Cameron Yaste was relieved of his duties as the commanding officer of the USS John S. McCain, a guided-missile destroyer operating in the Gulf of Oman.
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In this photo taken on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, a U.S. Navy SH-60 Seahawk helicopter approaches to land on the deck of U.S. aircraft carrier, USS George Washington (CVN-73) with the backdrop of U.S. navy destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG-56).
A statement issued by the US Navy on Saturday announced the removal of the commander of a guided-missile destroyer from an aircraft carrier strike group deployed in the Middle East.
According to the US-based military news site Stars and Stripes, Commander Cameron Yaste was relieved of his duties as the commanding officer of the USS John S. McCain, a guided-missile destroyer operating in the Gulf of Oman.
The report noted that Rear Admiral Christopher Alexander, who leads the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, made the decision to remove Yaste due to a "loss of confidence" in his ability to command the destroyer.
"There is no impact on the ship's mission or schedule due to the relief," the Navy said in a statement.
Remember this guy? He just got fired.
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) August 30, 2024
Cmdr. Cameron Yaste was relieved of his duties as commanding officer of the USS John S. McCain, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer now operating in the Gulf of Oman.
Yaste was photographed earlier this year firing an M-4 rifle, which some… pic.twitter.com/lX0O1R40iP
The controversy surrounding Commander Yaste stems from an embarrassing incident involving a misconfigured rifle scope.
A photo was posted by the US Navy on its official social media accounts showing Commander Yaste holding a military rifle with the scope mounted backward.
This image was widely mocked on social media for the mistake, leading to its quick removal by the Navy.
The incident raised concerns about the professionalism and attention to detail within the Navy, contributing to the decision to relieve Yaste of his command due to a "loss of confidence" in his leadership abilities​
Cmdr. Cameron Yaste, commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), was recently photographed firing a 5.56×45mm M4 carbine with the optic installed backwards with the lens cap still on and holding the rifle incorrectly pic.twitter.com/CODpIFc3vu
— Codey369 (@Codeym369) April 14, 2024
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