Navy Cmdr. Adam K. Pendleton has been fired as commanding officer of one of the service’s largest recruiting districts, Navy officials announced on Friday.
Pendleton was relieved on Thursday as head of Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pacific “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to fulfill the responsibilities as commanding officer,” according to a Navy news release, which does not include a specific reason for Pendleton’s relief.
“As a matter of policy, the Navy does not comment on ongoing investigations,” Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard Parker, a spokesman for Navy Recruiting Command, said on Friday. “The relief was the result of Cmdr. Pendleton failing to fulfill his responsibilities as the commanding officer of NTAG [Navy Talent Acquisition Group] Pacific.”
The phrase “loss of confidence” is a generic euphemism that the military branches commonly use in announcing that officers and senior enlisted leaders have been relieved without addressing specifics that might be behind the decision like performance, misconduct or other issues.
Media outlets typically must submit a Freedom of Information Act request to learn the reasons why leaders have been fired, and that process can take months.
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“Navy commanding officers are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct,” the Navy’s news release says. “They are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability and leadership, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of those standards.”
Originally from Los Angeles, Pendleton enlisted in the Navy in 1993 and was commissioned 11 years later through Officer Candidate School, according to his Navy biography.
He previously served as a recruiter in Guam and Los Angeles before becoming commanding officer of Navy Operational Support Center Cincinnati and the operational support officer for Naval Construction Group One. He assumed command of Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pacific in May.
Pendleton holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from California State University Los Angeles and a master’s degree in human resource management from National University. His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with 4 gold stars, and Navy Achievement Medal.
Navy Capt. Tommy Edgeworth, deputy commodore of Navy Recruiting Command Region West, has taken over as the commanding officer of Navy Talent Acquisition Group Pacific, the service;s news release says.
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