The commander of the USS John McCain, a Navy destroyer currently deployed in the Gulf of Oman, has been relieved of duty after a photo surfaced showing him firing a rifle with the scope mounted backward, CBS News reports.
The Navy stated that Commander Cameron Yaste was removed on Friday due to a “loss of confidence in his ability to command” the guided-missile destroyer. While the Navy did not explicitly mention the photo as the reason for Yaste’s removal, the incident had sparked widespread ridicule on social media.
The photo, which was posted on the Navy’s social media in April, depicted Yaste in a firing stance, holding the rifle with the scope incorrectly mounted. The incident even prompted a playful response from the Marine Corps, which shared a photo of a Marine firing a weapon with a correctly mounted scope on social media with the caption “Clear Sight Picture.”
The Navy subsequently deleted the photo featuring Yaste and acknowledged the error, stating it would provide “extra military instruction” before reposting the image.
Captain Allison Christy, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 21, has temporarily replaced Yaste. The USS John McCain, along with the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and other warships, is currently deployed in the Gulf of Oman, where they are tasked with protecting the region from potential threats, including Iran.
Commander Yaste’s previous assignments include serving as a division officer aboard USS Bataan, weapons and executive officer aboard Patrol Coastal Crew Hotel, and combat systems and weapons officer aboard USS Hopper. He is a graduate of The Citadel and holds a Master’s degree in astronautics.
