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SEAL Team 4 commander fired

NORFOLK, Va. — The commanding officer of SEAL Team 4 was fired Wednesday after five months in command, a Navy spokesman said.

Cmdr. Dennis Debobes was fired because of loss of confidence in “his ability to perform his duties,” said Lt. j.g. Arlo Abrahamson, spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Group 2. The relief was carried out by Capt. Colin Kilrain, commander of Group 2. The team is based at Little Creek, Va.

“The relief is not related to any specific incident or issue, and there is no pending disciplinary action,” Abrahamson said. “He has been assigned duties at another command within Naval Special Warfare.”

As yet, no one has been appointed to succeed Debobes at Team 4, but Abrahamson said another SEAL commander would be named as an interim commander in the next few days until a permanent relief can be found.

“Commanding officers in the Navy are held to a very high standard,” Abrahamson said. “When an immediate superior in command feels their trust and confidence has been compromised, it is that commander’s duty to act accordingly and relieve the officer of their position of command and influence.”

According to a news story released by the Navy in June, Debobes graduated from Northwestern University in 1992 and completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training in August 1993. He arrived at SEAL Team 4 on June 19 after serving on the staff of the chief of naval personnel.