The Navy has fired the commanding officer and command master chief of Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 4, the service said in a news release.

Cmdr. Brett Robblee and Command Master Chief Felix Phillips were relieved of duty on Friday by Capt. Christopher Milner, commander of Maritime Expeditionary Security Group (MESG) 2, which is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Va.

The were relieved due to a loss of confidence in their ability to perform leadership duties, the Navy said. The U.S. military routinely cites only a vague “loss of confidence” when removing commanders and other leaders from authority positions.

Capt. Jason Labott, deputy commander for MESG 2, has assumed the duties as MSRON 4’s commanding officer, and Command Master Chief Clayton Alek-Finkelman, former command master chief for MESG 2, will take over as MSRON 4’s command master chief.

Robblee and Phillips have been temporarily reassigned to the staff at Navy Expeditionary Combat Command.

Navy maritime expeditionary security forces operate ashore and at sea to provide protection to U.S. assets in and near ports, harbors and coastal waterways worldwide. MSRON 4 is based in Virginia Beach.

Robblee, a native of Orange County, Calif., is a 2007 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, according to his Navy Expeditionary Command bio, which has been deleted. Among his previous assignments were deputy director readiness and transition for the deputy assistant secretary of the Navy (Military Manpower and Personnel), and deputy director of future operations for the 2nd Fleet.

Phillips, of Greenwood, Miss., enlisted in the Navy in August 1996, according to his bio, also deleted. He has served follow-on tours on various Navy ships, and his most recent was Command master chief of Airborne Command and Control Squadron 121 in Norfolk, Va.