Navy Has Quietly Fired Some Commanders And Other Officials, Drawing Congressional Pushback

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The Navy has quietly removed several top officers recently, breaking from its usual practice of public announcements.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Navy has quietly fired or removed several top officers in recent months but broke with its usual practice of announcing those changes, drawing pushback from Congress.

Two Democratic lawmakers said Thursday that the Navy failed to inform Congress that it fired the entire leadership team of a nuclear-powered attack submarine last month after an underwater collision. Separately, the sea service in September fired the commander of a destroyer deployed to the Middle East, according to a defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive personnel matters.

Dr. Brian Monahan, a Navy rear admiral and attending physician for Congress and the Supreme Court, also departed his post during a Navy investigation — with no public announcement or confirmation.

All three are a break from the Navy’s longstanding policy to announce major removals of commanders and other highly visible officials. They also follow an increasing level of secrecy over military operations, especially in the Middle East.

“As a result of the Navy’s failure to communicate, what should have been a standard exercise in information sharing has instead raised questions about the Navy’s commitment to transparency and its commitment to a productive working relationship with Congress,” Reps. Joe Courtney of Connecticut and Adam Smith of Washington wrote in a letter to Navy leaders.

The developments could set up a contentious confirmation hearing next week for acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao as he seeks to permanently take over as the top civilian official.

In a letter to Cao and the Navy’s top uniformed officer, Adm. Daryl Caudle, Courtney and Smith said they had “deep frustration” over the Navy’s failure to notify the House Armed Services Committee about the firing of the commander, second in command and top enlisted sailor of the USS South Dakota submarine.

The letter says they were fired after the submarine ran into something on the seabed, but the Navy would not offer…

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