The commanding officer of a Hawaii-based helicopter squadron was removed from his position on Monday.
Lt. Col. Jay Moorman, the head of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 367, was relieved by Brig. Gen. Steven Rudder, the commanding general of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. Rudder had a "loss of confidence in Moorman's ability to continue to command," according to a statement from III Marine Expeditionary Force.
Moorman led the squadron, based in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, for exactly seven months.
Marine Corps officials did not say what caused Rudder to lose confidence in Moorman's leadership nor who will take command of the squadron. Maj. Ryan Jacobs serves as HMLA-367's executive officer, according to the squadron's website.
The squadron, which goes by the call sign "Scarface", flies the AH-1W Super Cobra and the UH-1Y Huey helicopters. Marines with HMLA-367 participated in the Rim of the Pacific exercise this summer.
Moorman, 42, could not immediately be reached for comment. He is a 1995 Naval Academy graduate, and earned his wings in December 1997, according to his official Marine Corps biography. He completed a series of West Coast assignments and combat deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also served as the executive officer of Recruiting Station Lansing, Michigan, for two years.
He assumed command of HMLA-367 on May 1, 2014, his bio states.
Moorman has received two Meritorious Service Medals, the Air Medal with Strike Flight Numeral 15, two Navy Commendation Medals, and three Navy Achievement Medals, according to his bio.
