Navy fires commodore of First Naval Construction Regiment

Report Content

The Navy announced on Friday that it fired the commodore of First Naval Construction Regiment “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command,” according to a release.

Capt. Douglas Whimpey was relieved by Capt. Angel Santiago, commander of Naval Construction Group, and will be succeeded in the role by Capt. Steven Sherman.

“Navy leaders are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability, and leadership personally and professionally, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of those standards,” the announcement read.

The Navy did not expound on the circumstances that led to Whimpey’s firing. The service often wields the “loss of confidence” term as a blanket statement when relieving commanding officers.

Whimpey took over as commodore for First Naval Construction Regiment — based in Port Hueneme, California — in 2023.

He previously served with the First Naval Construction Regiment in Fallujah in 2005 and 2006, according to comments he offered during a change of command ceremony on Sept. 23, 2023.

Whimpey’s firing had no bearing on operations, the service said. He has been reassigned to the staff at Navy Construction Group 1.

Classification
Region
North America
Analytical Domain
Operational
Primary Category
Command & Control
SALUTE Report
Size
Not specified
Activity
Firing of a commodore due to loss of confidence
Location
Port Hueneme, California
Unit
First Naval Construction Regiment, U.S. Navy
Time
Friday, September 23, 2023
Equipment
-
Summary

The U.S. Navy fired Commodore Douglas Whimpey of the First Naval Construction Regiment on September 23, 2023, due to a loss of confidence in his command ability. Capt. Angel Santiago relieved him, and Capt. Steven Sherman will take over the position. The Navy emphasized that this leadership change did not affect ongoing operations.

Key Facts
  • Commodore Douglas Whimpey was fired due to a loss of confidence in his command ability.
  • Capt. Angel Santiago relieved Whimpey and Capt. Steven Sherman will succeed him.
  • Whimpey previously served in Fallujah in 2005 and 2006.
  • The Navy stated that Whimpey's firing had no impact on operations.
  • Whimpey has been reassigned to the staff at Navy Construction Group 1.