The Coast Guard has temporarily relieved the commander of a Portsmouth, Virginia-based ship due to loss of confidence in his ability to "execute the responsibilities of a commanding officer."
Cmdr. Walter Krolman, who has been in charge of the medium endurance cutter Tampa since June 2023, was relieved Tuesday, according to the service. Coast Guard officials offered few details for the temporary relief, saying in a news release only that a "thorough" investigation is ongoing.
Krolman has held a series of increasingly important positions in the Coast Guard, an indication that he has the potential for promotion to the service's highest ranks. Just before taking the helm of the Tampa, he worked as section chief at Coast Guard Headquarters managing temporary duty assignments for critical surge operations, and in other headquarters duties, oversaw the system that manages enlisted personnel assignments.
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He has been stationed as the Coast Guard's assistant liaison officer to the U.S. House of Representatives and, operationally, served as executive officer of the Coast Guard medium endurance cutter Vigorous; operations officer of the medium endurance cutter Mohawk; the commanding officer of the patrol boat Manowar; and deck watch officer of the medium endurance cutter Resolute.
In April, the Tampa offloaded more than 3,750 pounds of cocaine and marijuana worth an estimated $12.3 million during Fleet Week in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The drugs had been seized by the crew of the Navy's littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-St. Paul and its Coast Guard law enforcement detachment.
At the time, Krolman said the offload afforded the sea services a chance to showcase their missions in the Caribbean.
"Today's offload demonstrates the value of our collaborative joint force operations far out to sea in protecting and defending Americans here at home from threats abroad," Krolman said during the event.
Cmdr. Todd Batten has been assigned temporarily as commanding officer of the Tampa, according to the Coast Guard. Batten is the previous commanding officer of the cutter Vigorous, having turned it over during a change of command ceremony in May.
Krolman's relief is at least the fourth this year of a Coast Guard commanding officer and the first of a ship's commander.
Former Coast Guard commandant Adm. Linda Fagan was fired in January by President Donald Trump; the commander of Coast Guard Sector San Diego was permanently relieved in April; and the commander of Coast Guard Base Alameda was temporarily relieved last month.
According to the Coast Guard, the relief of Krolman has not affected the Tampa's operational status.
"The cutter ... remains fully operational with no degradation to mission success or mission capabilities," the service said in a statement.
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