The Navy fired the leader of a California-based explosive ordnance disposal unit Thursday, citing “a loss of confidence in his ability to command.”

Cmdr. Sean S. Kido’s relief as head of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11 was not due to any misconduct or adverse findings from a command investigation, according to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group 1 spokeswoman Lt. Kara Handley.

“It was a loss of confidence over time,” she said in an email.

Kido, 40, has been reassigned to the group in San Diego, and Cmdr. Evan Colbert has taken command of EODMU 11 in Imperial Beach, she said.

“I am confident in the EODMU 11 team, where it has been a privilege and honor to serve," said Kido in a prepared statement released to Navy Times by Handley.

"I’m proud of our successful deployment, and the unit stands ready to continue generating highly capable companies and platoons responsive to ongoing competition and our nation’s defense.”

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Originally from Hawaii, Kido’s awards and decorations include a Bronze Star Medal with Combat V, which recognizes battlefield heroism.

Kido also received the Combat Action Ribbon and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, which is bestowed on service members with “incontestably exceptional” non-combat service.

Kido enlisted in 1997 and was commissioned in 2001, according to service records.

He took command of EODMU 11 on June 21, 2018.

Geoff is the editor of Navy Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.

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