The commanding officer of the San Diego division of the Navy Leadership and Ethics Center was fired from his post, the service announced Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (James Foehl/U.S. Navy)

The Navy fired the commanding officer of its San Diego division of the Navy Leadership and Ethics Center, the service announced Wednesday.

Capt. Lester Brown Jr. was relieved Wednesday by Capt. Shawn Bailey, commander of the Navy Leadership and Ethics Center headquarters. Brown was relieved “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command,” the Navy said in a statement.

The U.S. military routinely cites only a vague “loss of confidence” when removing commanders and other leaders from authority positions.

The leadership and ethics center is tasked with providing training and education for officers not yet in command as well as courses for the Navy’s enlisted leader development program. It is headquartered at Naval Station Newport, R.I., with subordinate locations in San Diego and Virginia Beach, Va.

Brown assumed command of the San Diego command in September 2022. His biography was removed from the Navy’s website by Wednesday afternoon.

Brown was reassigned to the Pacific Fleet’s Naval Surface Force. Capt. Richard Zeber from the leadership school headquarters in Rhode Island was temporarily assigned to fill Brown’s role in San Diego.