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Naval Station Rota CO fired amid NCIS probe

The commander of Naval Station Rota was fired Monday amid an ongoing criminal investigation on his base, a Navy spokesman said Tuesday.

Capt. William Mosk, a P-3 Orion pilot who was also serving as the commander of Naval Activities Spain, is not under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, but was relieved due to a “loss of confidence in Capt. Mosk’s ability to command and effectively handle issues surrounding an ongoing investigation,” according to an official statement.

He is the seventh commanding officer fired this year, and the fifth aviator.

Mosk was relieved by Rear Adm. Tony Gaiani, head of Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia.

“Capt Mosk is not the subject of the investigation,” said Lt. Cmdr. Dave Benham, spokesman for Navy Region Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. “So he’s not facing any criminal charges or anything like that.”

Benham declined to specify the nature of the investigation, but said it began six weeks ago.

Mosk, a University of California-Los Angeles graduate, entered the Navy in May 1985. He served tours in patrol aircraft squadrons, was navigator on the carrier John F. Kennedy and went on to command Training Squadron 35 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Mosk took command of Naval Station Rota in June 2008.

Attempts to reach Mosk for comment were unsuccessful.

Relieved officers often face censure, administrative boards and even court-martial, in some cases. Berman said that Mosk has been notified of Gaiani’s intent to process him for administrative removal, but that no decision has been made on other disciplinary or legal measures.

Cmdr. Ronald Dennis, the base’s executive officer, has taken command of Naval Station Rota until Mosk’s scheduled relief, Capt. Scott Kraverath, arrives. Kraverath had been slated take charge in late June, but Berman said he expects “that will move up.”