The commanding officer of the Wounded Warrior Regiment in Quantico, Virginia, was relieved Thursday for a loss of “trust and confidence” in his ability to lead the unit, Marine Corps said.
Col. Lawrence F. Miller, who took over the regiment March 2017, was relieved by Lt. Gen. Michael A. Rocco, deputy commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Maj. Craig Thomas said in a press release.
Miller was commissioned as a Marine officer in 1990 and his personal awards include, the Legion of Merit awarded twice, Bronze Star awarded twice, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal awarded three times, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medal awarded twice, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal, Combat Action Ribbon, and Basic Parachutist Wings, according to his service biography.
Miller is not the first commanding officer from the Wounded Warrior Regiment that has been relieved.
In 2015, Col. Shane “Rhino” Tomko was fired as the regiment’s commander when the Corps investigated Tomko for an inappropriate relationship with a corporal under his command that involved exchanging Facebook and text messages that included sexual content.
Tomko spent 50 days in the brig after he admitted to the relationship and other violations including, having a subordinate obtain testosterone for him, violating a military protective order not to contact his wife, and appearing at his arraignment with a blood alcohol more than three times the Virginia state limit of 0.08.
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Though the Corps is looking into allegations made against Miller, a formal investigation has not been started yet, Thomas told the Marine Corps Times in a phone call Thursday.
Thomas did not say what the allegations were, but clarified that they were not the only reason Miller was fired.
“It is important to note the removal of the commanding officer was not based on a single incident, rather on the totality of his job performance and personal leadership choices that led to the loss of trust and confidence in Col Miller’s ability to lead the unit," Thomas said in an email to Marine Corps Times.
Lt. Col. Larry Coleman, the regiment’s executive officer, will serve as the interim commander. Miller has been temporarily assigned to the staff of Marine Corps Combat Development Command, according to the press release.
