The Navy fired the commander of one among its guided missile submarines on Monday — the third submarine firing within the final seven months — in accordance with a press launch on Wednesday.
The commanding officer of the USS Ohio sub’s gold crew — Capt. Kurt Balagna — was relieved by Rear Adm. Nicholas Tilbrook, the commander of Submarine Group 9, “as a consequence of a lack of confidence in his potential to command,” the Navy stated.
Balagna seems to be the third Navy commander relieved this 12 months. Nonetheless, since final September, Navy leaders have fired the skippers of the USS Georgia and USS Alabama as properly. Navy officers have beforehand stated that in 2023, the service relieved 15 commanding officers.
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The Navy’s assertion didn’t provide any extra details about why Balagna was faraway from management, outdoors of the boilerplate “lack of confidence” comment.
A Navy official instructed Army.com that the reduction was “associated to conduct relatively than efficiency” however wouldn’t provide any further particulars.
The Ohio is homeported in Bangor, Washington.
In line with Balagna’s official biography, he enlisted within the Navy in 1992 as a nuclear electronics technician earlier than incomes his fee in 1997 via a ROTC program.
All through his profession, Balagna sailed on the ballistic missile submarine USS Kentucky, the place he accomplished 5 strategic deterrent patrols, in addition to the assault submarine USS Annapolis.
He served as the chief officer of the USS Virginia, and he commanded the USS Annapolis earlier than coming to the USS Ohio. The general public biography doesn’t say when Balagna took command of the Ohio’s gold crew however publicly launched photographs put the date earlier than January 2021.
The Ohio is one among 4 guided-missile submarines that had been transformed from carrying Trident II D5 nuclear ballistic missiles to Tomahawk Land Assault Missiles. Nonetheless, like their ballistic brethren, guided-missile submarines have two units of crews — blue and gold. They take turns manning the submarines and taking them on patrol.
In line with the Navy, “this maximizes the [submarine]’s strategic availability, reduces the variety of submarines required to fulfill strategic necessities, and permits for correct crew coaching, readiness and morale.”
Balagna’s biography says that amongst his awards are the Protection Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
The Navy stated that the Ohio’s potential commanding officer, Capt. Andrew Cain, has assumed commander’s duties.
