The commander and executive officer of the Littoral Combat Ship USS Montgomery (LCS-8) were dismissed from duty on Thursday, the Navy reported, “owing to a lack of confidence in their ability to lead.” Capt. Marc Crawford, commander of Surface Division 11, relieved Montgomery commander Cmdr. Richard Zamberlan and executive officer Cmdr. Phillip Lundberg of their commands.
- The Navy has fired the top two officers of a warship, citing a “lack of confidence.
- The captain and second in command of the littoral combat ship Montgomery have been sacked by the Navy due to “a lack of confidence in their capacity to lead,” the military announced on Thursday.
- The Navy did not provide any details on the officers’ dismissals, but two Navy officials claimed the officers were fired due to their handling of a sexual harassment probe.
- The Navy dismissed Cmdr.
- ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES, Kathryn J. Dawley was the captain of the Hawaii-based guided-missile destroyer Hopper in April due to a poor command climate and low crew morale.
- Commanders Zamberlan and Lundberg of the San Diego-based Montgomery will be moved to desk posts at the Pacific Fleet’s Naval Surface Force headquarters.
- Dustin Lonero of the littoral combat ship Coronado has been designated as Montgomery’s captain.
- The Montgomery is part of new Navy warships known as littoral combat ships.
“Until a permanent replacement is found, Cmdr. Dustin Lonero of the USS Coronado (LCS-4) will serve as commanding officer in the Navy. In a statement, Naval Surface Force said Zamberlan and Lundberg would be moved to Commander, Naval Surface Force, US Pacific Fleet.
The military did not detail the circumstances behind the relief. Still, a Navy official told USNI News on Thursday that Zamberlan and Lundberg were removed because they handled a sexual harassment probe.
Zamberlan previously served as the LCS USS Omaha (LCS-12) commander and the USS Kansas City (LCS-22). He was assigned to the USS Tulsa (LCS-16) Gold Crew on the ship’s first deployment. He was the executive officer of the USS Blue Ridge, a command ship (LCC-19).
Lundberg had previously served as a department head aboard USS Shoup (DDG-86) and Assistant Office-in-Charge of Coastal Riverine Squadron 3 detachment Yorktown at Task Force 56 in the US 5th Fleet.
The Navy has fired the top two officers of a warship, citing a “lack of confidence”:
In an unprecedented penalty, the commander and second in command of the USS Montgomery were relieved of command, apparently for handling a sexual harassment complaint.
The captain and second in command of the littoral combat ship Montgomery have been sacked by the Navy due to “a lack of confidence in their capacity to lead,” the military announced on Thursday.
Capt. Marc Crawford, the commander of the Navy’s Surface Division 11, removed the ship’s captain and executive officer, Cmdr. Richard J. Zamberlan and Cmdr. Phillip Lundberg, the Navy, said in a statement.
The Navy did not provide any details on the officers’ dismissals, but two Navy officials claimed the officers were fired due to their handling of a sexual harassment probe. Because of the ongoing investigation, the two officials spoke on the condition of anonymity.
For whatever reason, the Navy seldom relieves a ship’s commander, much less its two senior officers. The Navy dismissed Cmdr. ACCORDING TO AUTHORITIES, Kathryn J. Dawley was the captain of the Hawaii-based guided-missile destroyer Hopper in April due to a poor command climate and low crew morale.
Commanders Zamberlan and Lundberg of the San Diego-based Montgomery will be moved to desk posts at the Pacific Fleet’s Naval Surface Force headquarters. Until a permanent replacement is selected, Cmdr. Dustin Lonero of the littoral combat ship Coronado has been designated as Montgomery’s captain of the Navy.
In recent months, the Navy has dealt with various command situations, including sexual harassment:
Rear Adm. Trent DeMoss, the admiral in charge of navy aviation maintenance depots, was suspended from command in April, pending a Navy inspector general investigation into sexual harassment allegations. USNI News has previously reported on the termination.
The Montgomery is part of new Navy warships known as littoral combat ships. In the last two years, they joined the fleet to operate in littoral zones, or waterways near the coast, where larger vessels may struggle to move.
Independence-class littoral warships like the Montgomery are petite and elegant, with crews of roughly 80 sailors.
They boast a futuristic-looking all-aluminum trimaran design. In recent years, the Montgomery has patrolled contentious waterways, including the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea, sending a message to friends and enemies that the US is dedicated to preserving free and open international seas, according to Navy officials.
The new ships had engine difficulties and other defects, which Navy officials say have been resolved.
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