The Navy fired the commanding officer of the USS John S. McCain for what it termed “a loss of confidence in his ability to command the guided-missile destroyer.”
Cmdr. Cameron Yaste, who has commanded the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer since October 2023, was relieved of command during its current deployment in the Middle East, where it has been operating since April while assigned to the U.S. Fifth Fleet.
No details were available on why Yaste was removed from command. All branches of the military routinely use the phrase “loss of confidence” when announcing the firing of senior leaders, who can be removed for a wide range of issues, from poor performance and leadership to bad behavior off-duty.
Yaste briefly became an unwitting social media topic when McCain officials released a photo of him firing an M-4 rifle from the ship with the optic mounted backward.
“The Navy holds commanding officers to the highest standards and holds them accountable when those standards are not met. Naval leaders are entrusted with significant responsibilities to their Sailors and their ships,” the Navy said in a release.
As a destroyer equipped with the Aegis Combat System, the McCain, which is homeported in Naval Station Everett, Washington, was in line to play a major role in the surface-to-air fight against Houthi missiles launched at commercial ships in the region.
According to an online bio, Yaste is a native of Knoxville, Tennessee. He joined the Navy after graduating from The Citadel through Naval ROTC in 2006. He also attended the Naval Post Graduate School where he earned a master of science in astronautics. He previously served aboard the destroyer USS Hopper, and amphibious landing ship USS Bataan and as the McCain’s executive officer prior to taking command.
In August 2017, the ship collided with a Liberian-flagged tanker off the coast of Singapore near the Strait of Malacca. Ten sailors were killed and the crew fought for days to keep the ship afloat as it limped to port. The entire leadership team on the ship was fired in the aftermath, and the captain was fined by the Navy after taking responsibility.
Update: 8/30/2024; This article has been updated with additional information about USS John S. McCain.
The latest on Task & Purpose
- Suspended 4-star general denies he pressured panels to promote officer
- Navy must consider moving EA-18Gs from Whidbey Island to El Centro after noise lawsuit
- Air Force vet who fled to Russian military says his call sign is ‘Boston’
- 10th Mountain soldiers summit 46 highest Adirondacks peaks in one day
- Anglers, Squids, POGs and ‘AAA-0’ —Military nicknames we love