The commanding officer of a Hawaii-based patrol squadron was fired Wednesday amid an investigation into alleged misconduct, a Navy release said.
Cmdr. Ryan Cech was relieved by the head of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 10 for "loss of confidence" in his ability to command, the release said.
"After allegations of misconduct, Cmdr. Ryan Cech was relieved of command by Capt. Robert Patrick," the release said. "The decision to relieve the Cmdr. Cech was based on actions that demonstrated poor judgment and lack of professionalism, calling into question Cech's leadership which undermined his credibility to continue to serve effectively in command."
Cech's squadron, Patrol Squadron 47, is returning from a deployment to the Western Pacific in the coming days. It was an investigation into actions on the deployment that triggered the dismissal, a spokesperson from Naval Air Forces said.
"The investigation was initiated by reports of inappropriate behavior while on deployment," Cmdr. Jeannie Groeneveld said.
The release also noted the high standards commanding officers are held to.
"Commanding officers have a great deal of responsibility for their units, their Sailors and their mission. Standards of performance for commanding officers are extremely high," the release said.
The squadron flies P-3 Orion aircraft and is transitioning to the P-8 Poseidon, a submarine hunter and maritime patrol aircraft. Until recently, the squadron was based in Hawaii, but is currently in the process of shifting to Whidbey Island, Washington, as part of its shift to incorporating the P-8.
Cech, who has been temporarily reassigned to Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 2, is a career aviator who has served with Patrol Squadron-9, VP-16 and VP-30, according to his official biography. He has also served as assistant navigator on the carrier Nimitz. His shore tours include serving as chief of the naval operations aviation warfare office, as well as a tour on the operations staff at U.S. Central Command.
David B. Larter was the naval warfare reporter for Defense News.
