The Navy has relieved the commanding officer of the Japan-based destroyer USS Howard, Cmdr. Cameron Dennis, less than six months after taking over the post, following the firing of his predecessor, Cmdr. Kenji Igawa, who was relieved due to a "soft grounding" incident. The Navy cited a "loss of confidence" in Dennis' ability to perform his duties and assigned Capt. Dave Huljack as commanding officer until a permanent replacement is identified. Dennis, who began his Navy career in 1993, will be reassigned to the U.S. 7th Fleet staff, and the Navy stated that there will be no impact to the ship's mission or schedule.
The commanding officer of the Japan-based destroyer USS Howard, Cmdr. Kenji Igawa, has been relieved of command due to a loss of confidence in his ability to lead, according to the U.S. Navy. Capt. Edward Angelinas will temporarily take over as the ship's commander. The reasons for Igawa's relief were not specified, but he had previously been praised for his role as one of the few Japanese-American commissioned officers commanding a ship in a strategically important region. Igawa is the fifth ship commander to be relieved by the Navy this year.
The commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector North Carolina, Captain Matthew Baer, has been temporarily relieved of his duties due to a loss of confidence in his ability to effectively command the sector. Commander Courtney Sergent has temporarily assumed the position while an administrative investigation and final determination are pending. Baer has been reassigned to the Fifth Coast Guard District headquarters in Portsmouth.
