The U.S. Navy has fired the commanding officer of the USS Wyoming in the latest shakeup under Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
Commander Robert Moreno was removed by Rear Admiral Bob Wirth, commander of Submarine Group Ten, the Navy said in a statement, indicating that Moreno had been removed because of a loss of confidence in his ability to carry out his duties.
“Navy commanding officers are held to high standards of personal and professional conduct,” the Navy said in the release.
“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.”
No specifics were given about the circumstances that led to Moreno’s dismissal. Still, The Navy Times notes that the service generally uses the phrase “loss of confidence” as a blanket statement when explaining senior dismissals.
Moreno earned his commission in December 2005, spent time aboard the USS Pennsylvania, USS Dallas, and USS North Carolina, and only took over as commanding officer of the Wyoming in May 2024. He has been temporarily reassigned to the Naval Submarine Base at Kings Bay.
The vessel in question is an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine commissioned in July 1996 and home-ported in Kings Bay, Georgia. According to the Navy, it is currently undergoing maintenance, meaning the change of command will not impact its service.
Captain David Burke, Submarine Squadron 20 deputy for training, has been handed temporary responsibility for the sub in Moreno’s stead.
Hegseth – who recently delivered an address to America’s top generals and admirals at Quantico, Virginia, on “warrior ethos,” personal appearance and fitness standards, and his mission to purge the U.S. military of “political correctness” – has overseen a massive change in the hierarchy of the Armed Forces this year.
The Navy alone has changed its chief of naval operations, the commanding officer of Navy Information Operations Command Colorado, the commanding officer of Navy Reserve Center Manchester, New Hampshire, and the executive officer for the Program Executive Office for Unmanned and Small Combatants.
Most recently, it has removed a doctor over her social media use, the commanding officer of the USS Santa Barbara, and the Navy chief of staff.
