Gitmo Commander Fired

The commander of Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba, Capt. John R. Nettleton, has been fired. According to a report first broken by the Associated Press, Rear Adm. Mary Jackson, commander of Navy Region Southeast, relieved Nettleton “due to a loss of confidence.” Numerous news reports said Nettleton’s reassignment is related to an investigation into an alleged affair he had with a civilian employee. A Coast Guard crew found the body of the civilian’s husband, Christopher Tur, in Guantanamo Bay. Nettleton was in charge of the installation itself, not the detainment facility for suspected terrorist fighters. He has been reassigned to an administrative position at Jacksonville Naval Station, Fla., pending the outcome of the ongoing investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel confirmed Nettleton’s firing at a Jan. 22 Pentagon press conference. Nettleton’s case “is now in the purview of appropriate authorities. So, I won’t have anything to say specifically about that, which would be inappropriate.” Hagel said.