The US Navy has quietly removed or fired several senior officers and officials in recent months without its customary public announcements, drawing criticism from lawmakers over a lack of transparency and failure to inform Congress about key personnel changes.Two Democratic lawmakers on Thursday accused the Navy of withholding information about the removal of the entire leadership team of a nuclear-powered attack submarine following an underwater collision last month. Separately, the Navy also dismissed the commander of a destroyer deployed to the Middle East in September, while its attending physician for Congress and the Supreme Court departed amid an internal investigation.The developments mark a departure from the Navy’s longstanding practice of publicly announcing the removal of senior commanders and other high-profile officials. They also come amid growing restrictions on the release of information about US military operations, particularly in the Middle East.In a letter to acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao and the service’s top uniformed officer, Adm. Daryl Caudle, Democratic Reps. Joe Courtney of Connecticut and Adam Smith of Washington expressed concern over the Navy’s failure to notify the House Armed Services Committee about the dismissal of the commander, second-in-command and top enlisted sailor of the USS South Dakota submarine.The lawmakers said the three officers were removed after the submarine struck an unidentified object on the seabed. However, the Navy declined to publicly comment on the incident or the subsequent personnel action.“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,” the lawmakers wrote.The letter also expressed “deep frustration” over the Navy’s failure to inform the committee about the submarine leadership changes.
Destroyer commander removed amid Iran operations
In a separate development, the Navy on September 27 relieved Cmdr. Caitlin Cunningham of her command of the USS Michael Murphy destroyer, which has been deployed to support operations against Iran, according to a defence official who spoke on condition of anonymity.Cunningham was removed due to a loss of confidence and had held the position for less than a year, the official said.The Navy did not publicly announce her removal, even when questioned about the personnel change. Such dismissals are typically disclosed within days, marking another departure from the service’s usual communication practices.Navy physician departs amid investigationThe departure of Rear Adm. Dr Brian Monahan, who served as the attending physician for Congress and the Supreme Court, has also drawn attention.Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of California confirmed his departure on Thursday but provided few details about the circumstances.The Navy has opened an investigation into the matter, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss it.Monahan served for nearly 18 years as the head of the Office of the Attending Physician, which provides emergency medical assistance to members of Congress and the Supreme Court, as well as congressional staff and visitors.He had previously attracted public attention for discussing the health of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and administering a Covid-19 vaccine to then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Growing restrictions on military information
The developments come amid broader restrictions on the disclosure of information about US military activities, particularly in the Middle East.US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the region, has released limited details about recent strikes on Iran. It has also declined to comment on the extent of damage to military bases and equipment, frequently citing operational security concerns.Access to satellite imagery has also faced restrictions. Major satellite imagery providers holding US government contracts have blocked or delayed the public release of images from the region at the request of American officials.These restrictions have made it difficult to assess the impact of Iranian attacks on US military installations. An Associated Press analysis found that it took months to establish that Iranian drone and missile strikes had damaged or destroyed structures at 26 military bases and other sites housing US equipment across the region.The Navy’s handling of the recent personnel changes could also become an issue during next week’s confirmation hearing for Hung Cao, who is seeking permanent appointment as the service’s top civilian official.
