The Navy Just Fired the Commanding Officer of the USS Wyoming. Here’s What We Know 

What happened

The U.S. Navy removed the commanding officer of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Wyoming Blue crew this week, citing a loss of confidence in his ability to command. Rear Adm. Bob Wirth, who leads Submarine Group 10 out of Kings Bay, made the call to relieve Cmdr. Robert Moreno on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, according to reporting from USNI News. The Navy did not detail the incident or behavior that triggered the decision, which is standard when the service uses the loss of confidence formulation.

Moreno took the Blue crew’s helm on May 31, 2024, during a change of command ceremony at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Georgia. That handover from Cmdr. Steven Dykstra was documented by the Navy’s public affairs imagery and release.

Rear Adm. Wirth assumed command of Submarine Group 10 in May 2025, the headquarters that oversees King’s Bay based SSBNs. His staff owns the responsibility to swap out a skipper when confidence is gone.

Ballistic Missile Submarine USS Wyoming CO Removed From Command – USNI News https://t.co/TXTupGMBez pic.twitter.com/KjFRmd9qfZ

— USNI News (@USNINews) October 9, 2025

Why he was fired

The Navy’s statement gives the same blunt instrument it uses in most reliefs: loss of confidence. That phrase covers a spectrum from poor command climate to operational judgment lapses to personal conduct problems. The Navy rarely releases the underlying details while any inquiry is ongoing. USNI News reports that no additional circumstances were provided in this case.

This is part of a pattern. In recent years, the service has relieved a steady drumbeat of commanding officers across ship types for the same reason. In 2023 alone, the Navy removed 16 commanding officers, the majority for loss of confidence. The service argues the standard protects the fleet by acting fast when trust in a skipper’s judgment breaks down. Think of it like ejecting from a jet when warning lights stack up. You can debate the cause later. First, you save the airframe and crew.