The commanding officer of the Okinawa, Japan-based Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 36 was fired Wednesday, according to a Marine Corps notice.
Lt. Col. Calischaran G. James was relieved of his duties by Maj. Gen. Marcus B. Annibale, the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing commanding general, “due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command,” the Marine Corps announced.
Military services often use “loss of trust and confidence” as a blanket term when dismissing senior leadership.
A request for additional information regarding the nature of the dismissal was not yet returned as of press time.
“Commanders are held to the highest standards of conduct and must consistently live above reproach,” 1st Marine Aircraft Wing spokesman Maj. Joseph Butterfield said in the announcement. “This decision reflects the Marine Corps’ dedication to upholding the trust and confidence that are essential for effective leadership.”
Originally from the Caribbean island nation of Dominica, James enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1998, according to his now-archived command bio. He was commissioned in 2006 after completing the Enlisted Commissioning Program.
In 2020, James was named the recipient of the Marine Corps Aviation Association’s Earle Hattaway Ground Officer of the Year Award. He assumed command of MALS-36 in May 2024.
Lt. Col. Ryan T. Iden has been appointed as interim commanding officer until a selected replacement arrives, the release stated.
Iden enlisted in the Marine Corps 1997 as an infantryman, rising to the rank of gunnery sergeant before earning his commission in 2008.
James’ dismissal, meanwhile, comes on the heels of recent firings that overhauled the entire leadership structure of a Marine Osprey squadron.
On Oct. 28, the commanding officer, executive officer and senior enlisted leader of the Hawaii-based Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 were fired “due to a loss of trust” in their ability to enforce safety and readiness standards, according to a statement announcing the trio’s dismissal.
J.D. Simkins is the executive editor of Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.
Read the full article here
