Navy fires XO of San Diego-based destroyer
Another one falls to the sin of “Loss of Confidence” to lead. The article does not mention a specific event, so perhaps he was in over his head as XO. At any rate, now is a good time for him to update his resume.
The executive officer of the warship Decatur was fired last week, Navy officials confirmed.
Cmdr. Blandino A. Villanueva was relieved Wednesday “due to a loss of confidence in ability to lead,” according to U.S. Surface Force Pacific spokesman Cmdr. Patrick Evans.
Evans declined to provide details about why the officer was relieved but indicated it was not tied to any specific event.
Villanueva had been the second-in-command aboard the San Diego-based destroyer since February, Evans said.
He has been temporarily reassigned to the Coronado-based SURFPAC staff.
Villanueva did not respond to a phone message or requests for comment submitted through official channels by Navy Times.
Originally from Honolulu, Villanueva is the son of Navy mess specialist from the Philippines. He was commissioned through Officer Candidate School in 1998, two years after graduating from San Diego State University.
Villanueva served as executive officer of the guided-missile destroyer Gridley and in SURFPAC’s aviation department in recent years, according to Navy personnel records and his command bio website.
Villanueva has received two Meritorious Service Medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and an Army Achievement Medal during his career, according to military records.
Lt. Cmdr. Molly Lawton, a Decatur department head, has assumed temporary XO duties until a permanent relief arrives, Evans said.
The San Diego Union-Tribune first reported Villanueva’s firing.
Category: Navy
“…Originally from Honolulu, Villanueva is the son of Navy mess specialist from the Philippines…”
Bright future for him as manager of an adobo grille in Waipahu…
I’ll bet he was relieved to hear he was only “fired.”
Don’t navy personnel get relieved of duty like the rest of the military?
Why the civilian term? Does it sound harsher than “Relief for Cause?”
Civilian run paper.
Because “shitcanned” while accurate is a bit harsh.
^^^THIS^^^
… made me smile.
(^______^)
Just not up to it in general. Is that a reasonable guess?
Maybe he has trouble waking up or staying awake 🙂
Doesn’t relieved mean going to the Head, John, Loo, Bathroom, out house etc.
I hear that Villaneuva is looking for a new Dean.
So after 20 years of service, his resume’ needs updating? Hmmmm
He’s going to be in the civilian world soon enough; it’s best to tailor one’s resume to a specific employer. Combat Historian’s idea of a manager of an adobo grille in Waipahu, for example. He’ll need to tout his managerial and people skills, and gloss over the getting shitcanned part.
Methinks he will need an awful lot of shin-ola to gloss over a “loss of confidence in ability to lead”. He may do better by polishing his working the grill skills. We’ll probably see him in a poser role here, eventually if not sooner.
Sucks to be an officer sometimes.
As XO wasn’t he screened for command by the Navy?
Says things about how crappy the system for selecting for command really is. Wonder if they just have too much crap to deal with.