Navy cites misconduct, relieves USS Stennis’ executive officer, No. 2 in command of carrier

No. 2 officer on USS Stennis relieved of duty

BREMERTON, Wash. — The Navy has relieved of duty the executive officer of the USS Stennis, second to the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier.

A spokesman for the Naval Air Forces command in San Diego, Chief Steven Harbour, said the reason was personal misconduct but details are not being disclosed.

Harbour said Cmdr. David L. Burnham was relieved Wednesday by the commander of the carrier strike group, Rear Adm. Mark A. Vance.

Burnham was reassigned to San Diego, pending an investigation.

Harbour says the punishment is not related to an accident that killed a Stennis sailor Friday during a port call at Singapore. The Stennis left Bremerton, Wash., in January for a six-month deployment in the western Pacific.