Navy removes destroyer’s top three commanding officers mid-deployment

Thursday, September 18, 2014
By Paul Martin

RT.com
September 18, 2014

In an extremely rare move, the US Navy removed a ship’s top three commanding officers from their posts while it is at sea. The Navy is conducting an investigation into the command climate aboard the USS James E. Williams (DDG-95).

Cmdr. Curtis B. Calloway was relieved as commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer, along with Executive Officer (XO) Cmdr. Ed Handley and Command Master Chief Travis Biswell. The three posts make up the leadership aboard the Williams, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that has been underway since May 30.

Calloway was removed on Tuesday by Capt. Anthony L. Simmons, the deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2, who “will remain in command pending the completion of a DESRON 2 command-directed investigation into the command climate aboard James E. Williams,” the Navy said in a statement.

The military did not provide any details or explanation into the problems with the “command climate” that the three men created on board.

Capt. Anthony L. Simmons relieved Cmdr. Curtis B. Calloway as commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) at sea Sept. 16. (US Navy photo)

Capt. Anthony L. Simmons relieved Cmdr. Curtis B. Calloway as commanding officer of the guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) at sea Sept. 16. (US Navy photo)

“Removing the three positions — commander, XO and CMC — almost all at once is exceedingly rare,” the US Naval Institute (USNI) reported.

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