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CO of cutter Alex Haley relieved of duty

The commander of the 282-foot medium endurance cutter Alex Haley was relieved of his duties April 30 for “loss of confidence,” a Coast Guard spokesman from Pacific Area Command in Alameda, Calif., said Monday.

Cmdr. Karl Gabrielsen was relieved temporarily by PacArea commander Vice Adm. Charles Wurster because the flag officer has lost confidence “in [Gabrielsen’s] ability to command,” Public Affairs Chief Keith Alholm said.

The cause for dismissal remains undisclosed because an investigation is ongoing, Alholm said. The relief is related to an administrative matter and was not the result of a mishap or operational problem, according to Anholm.

Wurster will determine whether to make the relief permanent — a move that must also be approved by the Coast Guard’s senior leadership.

The Alex Haley is homeported in Kodiak, Alaska. Gabrielsen has served as its commander since June 9, 2006. He previously served as chief of operations for the Coast Guard Greater Antilles Section in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Other notable assignments during his career include working in the service’s operations directorate at Coast Guard Headquarters and serving as executive officer on the 378-foot high endurance cutter Dallas.

Assuming temporary command of the Alex Haley is Cmdr. Kelly Hatfield, the executive officer of the yet-to-be-commissioned national security cutter Bertholf.