Navy removes CO of Airborne Command & Control Squadron 115 

The Navy ousted the commanding officer of the Airborne Command & Control Squadron 115 on Friday, making him the third commanding officer the service has fired in November.

Cmdr. Charles Diehl was removed from his leadership role due to a “loss of confidence in his ability to command,” according to the service.

Diehl will be temporarily reassigned to Airborne Command & Control Logistics Wing based in Pt. Mugu, California, while Cmdr. Randall Fields, the former commanding officer of Airborne Command & Control Squadron 116, will temporarily take over leadership responsibilities for Airborne Command & Control Squadron 115.

Earlier this month, the Navy also removed the commanding officers of the Navy Leadership and Ethics Command San Diego, Capt. Lester Brown, Jr., and the Naval Information Warfare Training Group San Diego, Cmdr. Cayanne McFarlane.

Diehl became the commanding officer of the squadron, also based out of Pt. Mugu, in May. As a naval flight officer flying the E-2 Hawkeye, he previously attended the Navy Fighter Weapons School, known as Top Gun. He also conducted deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation New Dawn and Operation Tomodachi.

No other details were immediately provided regarding Diehl’s removal. The Navy rarely provides any insight into the firing of commanding officers beyond the “loss of confidence” statement.

“The Navy maintains the highest standards for commanding officers and holds them accountable when those standards are not met,” the service said in a statement Friday.