CO of submarine USS Wyoming is relieved of command
USS Wyoming
REBECCA REBARICH/U.S. NAVY
By Published: February 18, 2012
The commanding officer of the ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming was fired Feb. 4 for mishandling classified materials, just three weeks before his scheduled relief, the Navy Times reported. A spokesman for Submarine Group 10 confirmed the firing to the Navy Times on Friday.
Cmdr. Diego Hernandez was found guilty of dereliction of duty at an admiral's mast, according to the Navy Times. The spokesman declined to release details of the NCIS investigation because it is classified and ongoing.
Hernandez was replaced by Cmdr. Christopher Nash, who was already on board for the scheduled change of command, the newspaper reported.
Three Navy officers have been relieved of command so far this year. Capt. Robert Marin, who commanded the USS Cowpens, was fired Feb. 10 for "inappropriate personal behavior"; in January, Capt. Jeffrey Riedel was “temporarily reassigned” pending a command investigation into allegations of inappropriate personal behavior.
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