The U.S. Navy has relieved Commander Adam Ochs of his command of the USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) following what officials described as a “loss of confidence” in his ability to lead the littoral combat ship.
The announcement was made on from Manama, Bahrain, where the vessel is deployed under Commander, Task Force 55.
According to the Navy’s statement, Capt. Kelley Jones, Commander of Task Force 55, relieved Ochs of command, with Cmdr. Jeff Steiner temporarily assuming command until Cmdr. Linzy Lewis of the ship’s Gold Crew takes over.
The service said the decision “does not impact the ship’s mission or schedule,” emphasising that the Navy “maintains the highest standards for leaders and holds them accountable when those standards are not met.”
The USS Santa Barbara remains deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, covering the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean. Ochs, who had commanded the ship since November 2023, has been reassigned to Commander, Naval Surface Group Southwest.
The dismissal came as wider leadership turbulence continued within the U.S. Navy. On Friday, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth fired Jon Harrison, the Navy’s chief of staff, ending the tenure of a key figure in the Trump administration’s defence reshaping effort. Harrison, appointed in January, had reportedly sought major changes to the service’s policy and budgeting structures alongside Navy Secretary John Phelan, a political appointee confirmed in March.
In a statement to Politico, the Pentagon confirmed Harrison’s removal, saying only: “He will no longer serve as Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Navy. We are grateful for his service to the Department.” His firing came just days after former naval officer Hung Cao was confirmed as undersecretary of the Navy, further signalling a period of significant internal adjustment for the service.
Hegseth firing anyone who has a spine it seems.
Listening to an ex buckshee junior officer berate the senior officers in the US military was truly embarrassing! Apparently he expected rapturous applause after his rant🙄
This is becoming Stalinesque in nature… that turned out well. US forces are in danger of losing all confidence in their ‘Commander in Chief’. Being lectured by a drunk and an overweight Military Service avoider must be so inspirational for them. Retired military leaders are being especially critical of the consequence of low morale. Doubt serving ones feel any different.
Did he say something critical of the Trump administration ?
Maybe he had a beard
” loss of confidence ” in his ability to lead. Proof that irony is dead in America. Especially after watching that Mutt and Jeff shitshow at Quantico by that imitation tough guy alcoholic and his incoherent, dementia addled leader.