USS John S. McCain Destroyer Commander Cameron Yaste Relieved of Command

USS John S. McCain Commander Cmdr. Cameron Yaste Relieved of CommandPhoto byUS Navy Alamogordo Town News

The United States Navy announced via a military press release that it fired the commander of a guided-missile destroyer that is part of an aircraft carrier strike group deployed in the Middle East to counter attacks on shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Cmdr. Cameron Yaste was relieved of his duties as commanding officer of the USS John S. McCain, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer now operating in the Gulf of Oman. Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, took the action citing a “loss of confidence to command the guided-missile destroyer.”

The commander of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, relieved Cmdr. Cameron Yaste of duties as John S. McCain’s commanding officer. Capt. Allison Christy, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 21, has temporarily assumed command of the destroyer.

John S. McCain is currently on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. It arrived in the Middle East in April after departing its homeport of Everett, Washington in March. There is no impact to the ship’s mission or schedule due to the relief.

The Navy holds commanding officers to the highest standards and holds them accountable when those standards are not met. Naval leaders are entrusted with significant responsibilities to their Sailors and their ships.

Yaste reported to assume the role as John S. McCain’s commanding officer in October 2023. He has now been temporarily reassigned to Naval Surface Group Northwest.

The U.S. 5th fleet area of operations encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles of water space and includes the Arabian gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb, according to the Maritime Executive.

“Loss of confidence” is a vague phrase often used throughout the U.S. military to describe the removal of a commanding officer from his or her post without providing a clear explanation. The causes for past removals of Navy commanders for “lack of confidence” have ranged from ineffective leadership, mistreatment of crew members, and poor behavior off duty, such as drinking with subordinates or a “driving under the influence” arrest. Alexander announced Capt. Allison Christy, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 21, has temporarily assumed command of the destroyer.

Commander Cameron Yaste military bio explaines he is a native of Knoxville, TN, and a graduate of The Citadel with a Bachelor of Arts in History earning a commission through NROTC in 2006. He also attended the Naval Post Graduate School where he earned a Master of Science in Astronautics.

At sea he served as division officer aboard USS BATAAN (LHD 5); weapons and executive officer aboard PATROL COASTAL CREW HOTEL; combat systems and weapons officer aboard USS HOPPER (DDG 70); and executive officer aboard USS JOHN S. MCCAIN (DDG 56).

Ashore, Commander Yaste has served as Director Fellow to the Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group; Executive Assistant to the Director for Operations at United States Indo-Pacific Command; Flag Aide to the Commander of the US Pacific Fleet; and Department Head instructor at Surface Warfare Officer School.

Commander Yaste’s personal awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards) and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), and various unit and service awards.

The Stars and Stripes reports that the USS John S. McCain is unique in that it is named after three naval officers from the same family. John S. McCain Sr. was an admiral and a Navy aircraft carrier commander in World War II. John S. McCain Jr. was an influential Navy admiral during the Vietnam War era. John S. McCain III was a naval aviator who was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam and went on to become a U.S. senator from Arizona and a Republican presidential candidate.