The commander of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mason was relieved of duty today, Naval Surface Force Atlantic announced.

Capt. Chavius G. Lewis was removed from his post on the ship “due to a loss of confidence in Lewis’ ability to command,” the Navy said. He’s been reassigned to Naval Surface Group Southeast, and the Navy said his removal from the ship does not impact the Mason’s mission.

“The Navy maintains the highest standards for leaders and holds them accountable when those standards are not met,” the Navy said in its statement.

The Navy rarely gives reasons why ship or base commanders are removed from command. Instead, its go-to term is “loss of confidence,” which covers a number of reasons ranging from allegations of misconduct, poor performance on the job, or mishaps occurring under their watch, such as Navy ship collisions.

Lewis was removed from his command by Rear Adm. Alexis Walker, the head of Carrier Strike Group 10. Capt. Kevin Hoffman was named the interim commander of the destroyer by Walker. The carrier strike group is currently sailing through the Atlantic Ocean in the 2nd Fleet’s area of responsibility. The strike group is anchored around the USS George H.W. Bush, with the USS Mason serving as one of the destroyers with it.

Lewis took command of the USS Mason in November 2024. According to his biography, Lewis has deployed multiple times before taking command of the Mason, including to the Persian Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea. He previously served as the commander of the USS Pioneer and USS Dextrous. Prior to Lewis taking the reins of the ship, the destroyer had seen extensive action in the Middle East, fighting Houthi forces and intercepting missiles around the Red Sea in 2023 and early 2024.

The Bush Carrier Strike Group is currently taking part in a Composite Training Unit Exercise with partner navies, part of a series of training exercises for the group before a deployment. (Task Purpose)

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