Hospital Ship Comfort Commander Relieved of Duties

The commanding officer of the hospital ship Comfort was relieved of her duties two days before the ship deploys for a humanitarian operation in South and Central America. Capt. Rachel Haltner was part of the biannual mission Continuing Promise and was going to travel aboard the Comfort to 11 countries over the course of five months.

According to a release from the Military Sealift Command, Haltner was let go on Monday after an investigation of the command climate, citing a loss of confidence in the captain’s capacity to command. The release provided no specifics about the details surrounding her relief.

Haltner assumed command of the ship hospital on Aug. 27, 2013. She has been temporarily reassigned to Portsmouth Naval Medical Center.

This marks the second time in which Rear Adm. Thomas Shannon has had to dismiss a Comfort hospital commander in the past two years.

The Comfort has since been sitting a the Norfolk Naval Station pier. Capt. Christine Sears has been assigned permanent command in Haltner’s place.

Photo courtesy of the Navy