Commander of Navy Leadership and Ethics Center Fired over Personal Conduct

The Navy has relieved the commanding officer of its Navy Leadership and Ethics Command in San Diego, a statement announced Tuesday.

Capt. Shawn Bailey of the Navy Ethics and Leadership Center relieved Capt. Lester Brown Jr. of his duties Tuesday "due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command," the statement said.

According to its website, the schoolhouse command "provides training and education for officers not yet in command and courses designed as part of the Enlisted Leader Development (ELD) framework."

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Brown's relief marks at least the 11th firing of a commanding officer this year over a "loss of confidence in their ability to command."

Loss of confidence is a boilerplate reason provided by the Navy, and other military services, that can encompass anything from issues with the way the commander is treating their crew to personal actions like drunken driving.

A Navy official told Military.com that Brown was relieved over a matter of personal conduct for which there was a command investigation.

The official noted that the personal conduct did not involve allegations that would have impacted another sailor.

Navy officials have previously said the sea service relieved 15 commanding officers in 2023. There are currently around 1,600 commanding officers in the active-duty Navy across all communities.

According to a now-removed Navy biography, Brown is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy who served aboard the transport dock ship USS Anchorage, the frigate USS Sides, and the minesweeper USS Patriot.

He was the chief engineer aboard the cruiser USS Philippine Sea and served as both the executive officer and commanding officer of the destroyer USS McFaul.

His shore tours included stints as the director of the Fleet Command Center that is overseen by the commander of United States Fleet Forces and with the Lessons Learned Division at the Navy's Warfare Development Command.

Brown assumed command of the Navy Leadership and Ethics Command in September 2022.

His decorations include five awards of the Meritorious Service Medal, four awards of the Navy Commendation Medal, and two awards of the Navy Achievement Medal, as well as various unit and campaign awards.

According to the Navy's statement, Capt. Richard Zeber, from Naval Leadership and Ethics Center Newport, has been temporarily assigned to head the San Diego command, while Brown has been reassigned to Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

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