The U.S. Coast Guard removed the commanding officer for Coast Guard Sector San Diego on Friday, as well as the command senior enlisted leader, due to a “loss of confidence.”
Capt. James Spitler and Master Chief Petty Officer Michael Dioquino were “temporarily relieved” following an investigation into their leadership.
“The Coast Guard cannot accomplish our missions without the respect and trust of each member,” Rear Adm. Joseph Buzzella, head of Coast Guard District Eleven, said in the announcement. “A safe and professional environment for each member is crucial to the success of our service and we will not tolerate behavior that goes against our core values of honor, respect and devotion to duty.”
The phrase “loss of confidence” is widely used by the military when an officer is fired from a command role. The phrase is used to encompass a range of reasons, from poor leadership to a more serious incident. The military rarely elaborates on what happened. The removals in this case stemmed from alleged unfair treatment and an inquiry into that treatment, the Times of San Diego reports.
The Coast Guard described the firings as temporary, but did not elaborate on when they might be reinstated to lead.
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Capt. Patrick Dill, who serves as the chief of incident management for Coast Guard District Eleven, is serving as interim commander for the sector.
Spitler is the Coast Guard’s senior officer for the Southwest. He graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 1997 and served in part as a pilot. He was the commander of Air Station Houston during Hurricane Harvey in 2017. He also previously served as Chief, Domestic Operations Division, Directorate of Operations for United States Northern Command.
Master Chief Michael Dioquino enlisted in 1995, serving on several Coast Guard vessels and at multiple stations. Before his role at Coast Guard Sector San Diego, he had worked as the regional supervisor at Coast Guard Recruiting Command in Washington, DC
Coast Guard Sector San Diego encompasses much of the major waterways in the American southwest, extending from the U.S.-Mexico border east to 750 miles of water in the Colorado River and northwards to Dana Point, California. It also covers many inland lakes.