Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Denman near Sitka, Alaska, in May 2023. (U.S. Coast Guard)
The Coast Guard temporarily relieved the commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Douglas Denman, homeported in Ketchikan, Alaska, the service announced Monday.
Lt. Edwin Kuster was relieved by Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard Arctic District. Little said an unspecified investigation led to a “loss of confidence” in Kuster’s ability to lead. The U.S. military routinely cites only a vague “loss of confidence” when removing commanders from authority.
The Coast Guard said Kuster’s relief was “not due to misconduct.”
Lt. Bryce Matakas has temporarily assumed the position of commanding officer of USCGC Douglas Denman. The Coast Guard did not say what duties Kuster would be assigned following his removal.
“A temporary relief for cause is initiated by the operational commander with information and circumstances that raise concerns about a service member’s ability to effectively serve in their current position,” said Coast Guard Lt. Pamela Manns, a spokeswoman for Arctic District Public Affairs. “The final decision authority for a permanent relief for cause resides with the commander of the Coast Guard Personnel Service Center.”
Kuster took command of the fast response cutter in May 2024, according to a change of command ceremony report in the Ketchikan Daily News. The report said Kuster was the second commander of the cutter, which was delivered to the Coast Guard in 2022.
