Navy Relieves Two Skippers

The commanding officers of a carrier air wing and a civil affairs group have been fired, the Navy has announced. The actions are unrelated. On May 9, Capt. Michael P. McNellis, CO of Carrier Wing 5 on the carrier Kitty Hawk, was relieved by Rear Adm. Richard B. Wren, commander of Task Force 70, "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command in an effective manner," according to a Navy statement. Capt. Michael S. White, the wing’s former deputy commander, succeeded McNellis. Kitty Hawk is deployed on a training exercise in the Philippine Sea. Also on May 9, Capt. Kenneth J. Schwingshakl was relieved as commander of Maritime Civil Affairs Group by Rear Adm. Mike Tillotson, commander of Navy Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) at Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, Va., also because of loss of confidence in his ability to command. Capt. Bob McKenna, formerly the NECC training officer, succeeds Schwingshakl.