Guantanamo Bay Admiral Fired Due to Loss of Confidence

The commander of the joint task force that operates the detention camps at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has been fired, U.S. Southern Command announced Sunday.

Rear Adm. John Ring, commander of Joint Task Force-Guantanamo, was relieved Saturday by SOUTHCOM commander Adm. Craig Faller due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command, officials said in a release. Army Brig. Gen. John Hussey, deputy commander of JTF-GTMO, is now serving as acting commander.

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"This change in leadership will not interrupt the safe, humane, legal care and custody provided to the detainee population at GTMO," officials said in a statement.

A spokesman for SOUTHCOM told Military.com that Ring has been temporarily assigned duties at the command's Miami headquarters pending forthcoming permanent reassignment. He would not comment on the reasons for Ring's relief or any additional actions that might be taken.

Ring took command of JTF-GTMO in April 2018. A naval flight officer, he was commissioned in 1988 and previously served as the executive assistant to the Navy's director of air warfare. He has also completed command tours with the carrier Nimitz, the dock landing ship Comstock, and Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 113.

According to his command biography, Ring's awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Meritorious Service Medal, and he is a past recipient of Hawkeye NFO of the Year and the Navy and Marine Association peer selected leadership award.

JTF-GTMO has had 17 commanders since its creation in 2002.

Guantanamo Bay currently houses 40 detainees.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.