The commander of a Navy destroyer that was helping protect the San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Middle East was relieved of duty about four months after he was photographed firing a rifle with the scope mounted backward.
A backward scope would invert the weapon’s magnification rather than enhance it, meaning it could not be properly focused or used to take an accurate shot.
The image brought the Navy considerable ridicule on social media, Commander Cameron Yaste, commanding officer of the destroyer USS John McCain, was fired on Friday.
“From engaging in practice gun shoots, conducting maintenance, testing fuel purity and participating in sea and anchor details, the #USNavy is always ready to serve and protect,” the now-deleted post was captioned.
The image resulted in ridicule from social media users and even a tongue-in-cheek post from the Marines on their own social media account, which was captioned “Clear Sight Picture”.
The Navy said Yaste was relieved of duty “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command the guided-missile destroyer” that’s currently deployed in the Gulf of Oman. The statement didn’t elaborate on why Yaste was replaced.
Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, the commander of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, relieved Yaste of his duties and designated Capt. Allison Christy, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 21, is temporarily in command of the destroyer.
Yaste 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 a 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 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 awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (two awards), and various unit and service awards.
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 of John S. McCain’s commanding officer in October 2023. He has now been temporarily reassigned to Naval Surface Group Northwest.
His replacement, Christy, is from Seattle, Washington. She graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science.
Bigots across the country are losing their marbles because an LGBT woman replaced the fired US Navy warship commander who was dismissed for firing a rifle with a scope incorrectly mounted.
Christy is married to Lieutenant Commander Nicole Lobecker, a native of Quakertown, Pennsylvania, who graduated from Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.
She joined the Navy as an enlisted Machinists Mate and after three years of enlisted service, was selected for Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island before she completed her Masters’ program through the Naval War College Fleet Seminar Program to earn Joint Professional Military Education (JPME) Phase I and her Masters’ Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies focusing on the Asia Pacific.
At sea assignments include OI Division Officer, Strike Officer and Navigator in USS Porter (DDG-78), Operations Officer in USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) and Combat Systems Officer in USS Port Royal (CG 73). Following a tour as Executive Officer, she fleeted up to serve as Commanding Officer in USS McCampbell (DDG 85) in Yokosuka, Japan.
Shore duty assignments include Junior Officer Detailer and Junior Officer Shore Coordinator in Navy Personnel Command, Surface and Expeditionary Portfolio Manager in the Navy Office of Legislative Affairs, and the Future Operations Officer for Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet.
As a Lieutenant, she completed an Individual Augmentee assignment at U.S. Central Command in the Strategy, Plans and Policy directorate (J-5) at the forward headquarters in Qatar.
Prior to reporting to Destroyer Squadron 21, Christy served in the Joint Staff J-5 as the Missile Defense Policy Division Chief and J-5 Executive Assistant.
She holds a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.
The couple participated in a January 25, 2021, forum that featured LGBT Navy officers and civilians describing their experiences both in the Navy and being forward-deployed, operating in an international community with widely varying policies and social norms.
The panel discussion was held 10 years after President Barack Obama signed legislation to end the 1993 policy commonly referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” which technically lifted the U.S. military ban on LGBT servicemembers, but in practice continued to institutionalize discrimination.
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.
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