Navy relieves CO of Navy Information Operations Command Colorado

The Navy relieved the commanding officer of Navy Information Operations Command Colorado on Thursday, the service announced.

Cmdr. Christopher Johnson was relieved of his duties by Capt. Chelsey Zwicker, commodore of Naval Information Operations Command Pacific, due to a “loss of confidence in his ability to command,” the Navy said.

“The Navy maintains the highest standards for commanding officers and holds them accountable when those standards are not met,” the service said in a release.

The release did not provide additional details on Johnson’s dismissal. The Navy uses “loss of confidence” as a blanket statement when relieving commanding officers.

Johnson, who resumed command of NIOC Colorado in May 2023, has been temporarily reassigned to U.S. Fleet Cyber Command, according to the Navy.

Johnson commissioned through Officer Candidate School, according to his biography on the Naval Information Forces website. His previous assignments include as division officer and officer of the deck aboard the carrier Carl Vinson, cryptologic resource coordination for the commander of Carrier Strike Group Nine aboard the carrier Theodore Roosevelt and the U.S. 7th fleet director of the offensive maritime information operations center aboard the amphibious command ship Blue Ridge.

Ashore, Johnson served as the deputy collections manager and cyber operations officer at U.S. Pacific Fleet and the Navy’s senior cryptologic warfare instructor and executive officer at Information Warfare Training Command Corry Station, in Pensacola, Florida, according to his bio.

Cmdr. Mark Tuner, the Naval Information Forces liaison officer to U.S. Fleet Cyber Command, will temporarily lead NIOC Colorado until a permanent replacement is found.

NIOC Colorado is a subordinate command of Naval Information Operations Command Pacific, which is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii.