US Navy warship commander relieved of duty 4 months after embarrassing rifle scope photo went viral

The commander of a Navy destroyer who got into trouble four months ago over a picture that went viral for all the wrong reasons has been relieved of duty. The picture gaffe, which drew heavy criticism and trolling from social media users, showed Cameron Yaste, commanding officer of the destroyer USS John McCain, firing a rifle with a scope mounted backwards.

What did the Navy say?

According to an official statement by the US Navy, Yaste was relieved of duty “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command the guided-missile destroyer”.

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The statement, however, didn’t elaborate on the situation or give any further information about why he was being replaced. The destroyer is presently deployed in the Gulf of Oman and is helping protect the San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.

About the viral photo:

The picture that started the whole issue was posted back in April. It showed Yaste in a firing stance, gripping a riffle with a backward scope. Reportedly, the Marine Corps took a dig at the Navy with the picture and shared it on social media. Though it was later deleted, by that time, the photo had gone viral and captured the attention of many.

The Navy later responded on social media, writing, “Thank you for pointing out our rifle scope error in the previous post,” adding, “Picture has been removed until EMI (extra military instruction) is completed.”

Who is replacing Cameron Yaste?

Captain Allison Christy, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 21, is temporarily replacing Cameron Yaste. Destroyer Squadron 21 is part of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and is deployed in the Gulf of Oman.

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Why are carriers deployed in the Middle East?

As per military officials, the Pentagon has sent carriers to the Middle East to be in position should Israel need help to repel an attack by Iran or other countries.

(With inputs from AP)

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