The Navy has removed the SEAL leader for Navy Special Warfare Group Eight (NSWG-8) due to a "loss of confidence in his ability to command," according to a service statement.
Capt. Richard A. Zaszewski was relieved from his position on Wednesday, but the specifics of the situation were not disclosed in the Naval Special Warfare Command (NSW) press release. press release.
Military Times previously reported that Zaszewski was dismissed after being charged with a misdemeanor DWI on Jan. 19 and failing to report it to superiors until last week, as per Virginia court records and an unnamed defense official.
A NSW spokesperson could not confirm the reason for Zaszewski’s dismissal, only stating that the decision to remove him was made after "careful consideration of the facts and the imperative to uphold the high standards of Navy leadership."
The service announced that Deputy Commodore Capt. Stig Sanness has taken over Zaszewski’s position at NSWG-8, which is based at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia Beach, Va., and focuses on undersea, cyber, and electronic warfare operations.
Zaszewski, a Navy SEAL, had served for nearly two decades in "East Coast-based Special Warfare Units," receiving multiple military awards including the Silver Star and three Bronze Stars, according to his service records.
This marks at least the Navy’s fifth removal of a high-ranking official this year. Earlier this month the service dismissed Capt. Kurt D. Balagna, the commanding officer of the USS Ohio guided missile submarine. The Navy gave its customary "loss of confidence" explanation for the dismissal.
Following this, Cmdr. Cameron Dennis, the head of the Japan-based Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Howard, was fired on Feb. 6 — a ship responsible for deterring the Chinese military.
In mid-January, Capt. Geoffry Patterson, the commanding officer of the submarine USS Georgia’s blue crew, was also dismissed.
“Navy leaders are expected to meet high standards of personal and professional conduct,” NSW stated. “They are required to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability, and leadership, and the Navy holds them accountable when they do not meet those standards.”
