The U.S. Navy relieved the commanding officer of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS West Virginia on Thursday, the service announced.
Cmdr. Joseph Sammur was relieved due to a “loss of confidence in his ability to command” and was reassigned to Submarine Group 10. Sammur assumed command of the submarine on Aug. 14, 2025.
“The relief of the CO does not impact the ship’s mission or schedule,” the Navy said.
Submarine Squadron 20 Deputy for Training Cmdr. Luke Kelvington will take over as interim commanding officer.
The West Virginia is currently undergoing maintenance in port at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia.
The Navy did not specify the reasons or circumstances that led to the ousting, but the service generally uses “loss of confidence” as a blanket statement when dismissing senior leadership.
In June, the Navy fired three top officials at an overseas maintenance center after losing confidence in their ability to command.
And in February, the Navy relieved the commanding officer of the destroyer USS Mason for the same reason.
Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times, where he covers breaking news, criminal justice, investigations, and cyber. He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post, where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation.
