Navy Removes Captain from USS John S. McCain Command

Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, commander of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, has relieved Cmdr. Cameron Yaste of his duties as commanding officer of the destroyer John S. McCain. Capt. Allison Christy, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 21, has been appointed as the temporary commanding officer.

John S. McCain is currently on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. The destroyer arrived in the Middle East in April, having departed from its homeport in Everett, Washington, the previous month. The relief of command will not impact the ship’s mission or schedule.

The Navy maintains rigorous standards for its commanding officers, emphasizing accountability when these standards are not met. Naval leaders are entrusted with considerable responsibility for their Sailors and vessels.

Cmdr. Yaste had assumed the role of the John S. McCain’s commanding officer in October 2023. Following his relief, he has been temporarily reassigned to Naval Surface Group Northwest.

The U.S. 5th Fleet’s area of operations covers approximately 2.5 million square miles of water, including the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean, and critical chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal, and the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb.