USS McCain Commander relieved of duties after backward rifle scope photo uproar

The commander of the destroyer USS John McCain, Cameron Yaste, has been relieved of his duties following a social media uproar over a photo showing him firing a rifle with a scope mounted backward.

The destroyer is currently deployed in the Gulf of Oman, supporting the San Diego-based aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Yaste’s removal was attributed to “a loss of confidence in his ability to command the guided-missile destroyer,” according to a Navy statement, which did not elaborate further on the reasons behind the decision.

In April, the Navy’s social media accounts posted an image of Yaste in a firing stance, gripping the rifle with a backward scope. The image was widely mocked, prompting the Navy to delete the post. “Thank you for pointing out our rifle scope error in the previous post,” the Navy later wrote on social media. “Picture has been removed until EMI (extra military instruction) is completed.”

The incident was also criticized by the Marine Corps, which posted a photo on its social media showing a Marine firing a weapon aboard the USS Boxer. The caption read: “Clear Sight Picture.”

Capt. Allison Christy, deputy commodore of Destroyer Squadron 21, has been appointed as Yaste’s temporary replacement. The destroyer squadron is part of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which is also deployed in the Gulf of Oman.

The deployment of the Roosevelt strike group, which includes three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, is part of the Pentagon’s efforts to maintain readiness in the Middle East amid rising, in anticipation for potential attacks by Iran or other countries, military officials said. The $2 billion vessels are designed to protect carriers from threats by air, sea, and land.