A submarine navigation mishap and grounding in November has cost the sub's commanding officer his job.
The commanding officer of the guided missile submarine Georgia was fired Monday after striking a buoy and grounding his ship in November.
The guided missile submarine Georgia struck a buoy while returning to incident occurred Nov. 25 as Georgia was pulling in to its home port of Kings Bay, Georgia, on Nov. 25 and then ran aground. Capt. Dave Adams, CO of the commanding officer of the Georgia's Blue crew, was relieved by Rear Adm. Randy Crites, the head of Submarine Group 10.
Crites removed Adams, SUBGRU 10 said in a release, "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command based on the facts and circumstances revealed in a command investigation in the Nov. 25 incident in which Georgia was returning to port, struck a channel buoy and then grounded," SUBGRU 10 said in a release.
SUBGRU 10 said the damages are approximately $1 million to repair and that the investigation is pending final review.
Adams is the first CO fired in 2016.
In a statement to Navy Times, the 30-year Navy veteran Adams took responsibility for the accident.
"The actions that hazarded GEORGIA upon a scheduled return to port in the dark on the morning of 25 Nov. were mine alone," Adams said in an email. "I ask that my lapses not be used to denigrate the terrific service of the Sailors and families of GEORGIA BLUE. After thirty years of serving in the world's finest Navy, my only regret is that I will miss sailing with them again to stand against our nation's enemies."
Adams enlisted in the Navy in 1985 and was commissioned in 1991, according to his official bio. He has previously served on the ballistic missile submarine Tennessee and the attack submarines Santa Fe and Honolulu. He has commanded the Joint Provincial Reconstruction Team Khost, Afghanistan, in 2007 and 2008. He then went on to command Santa Fe from 2010 to 2012, earning the Battle "E."
He also served as the Cchief of Nnaval Ooperations' speechwriter and as an aide to the Cchairman of the Joint Chiefs.
The Navy was unable to immediately detail the extent of the damages to the Georgia or say whether they've been repaired.
Adams has been was reassigned to SUBGRU 10.
David B. Larter was the naval warfare reporter for Defense News.
