The U.S. Navy relieved Commander Caitlin Cunningham of her command of the USS Michael Murphy on September 27, while the destroyer was deployed on aggression against Iran and the naval blockade. The Navy cited a "loss of confidence" but did not disclose further details, according to USNI News. ● Cunningham, who was commissioned through the U.S. Navy's ROTC program at the University of Colorado Boulder, previously served as senior officer on the USS Michael Murphy before assuming command in October 2025. Cunningham's removal came less than a year after she took command of the Arleigh-missile structure. ■ The USS Michael Murphy departed Hawaii on December 1, 2025, as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike before being deployed to the area for Operation Epic Fury.

The U.S. Navy relieved Commander Caitlin Cunningham of her command of the USS Michael Murphy on September 27, while the destroyer was deployed on aggression against Iran and the naval blockade. The Navy cited a "loss of confidence" but did not disclose further details, according to USNI News. ● Cunningham, who was commissioned through the U.S. Navy's ROTC program at the University of Colorado Boulder, previously served as senior officer on the USS Michael Murphy before assuming command in October 2025. Cunningham's removal came less than a year after she took command of the Arleigh-missile structure. ■ The USS Michael Murphy departed Hawaii on December 1, 2025, as part of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike before being deployed to the area for Operation Epic Fury.