House Democrats criticize Navy over private firing of USS South Dakota leadership

Two senior House Democrats criticised the Navy for not telling Congress that it had dismissed the three top leaders of the nuclear submarine USS South Dakota. They said they learnt of the decision through a media report nearly a month later, raising concerns about how the Navy communicates significant leadership changes to congressional oversight committees.

The officers dismissed were the commanding officer, executive officer and chief of the boat. The Navy fired them on 14 October, but the dismissals became public only after a question from Connecticut newspaper The Day on 11 November. Representatives Joe Courtney and Adam Smith wrote to the Navy expressing “deep frustration” over not being notified.