Cmdr. Steven Everhart of Great Falls was relieved of command last week of the blue crew of the USS Pennsylvania due to a loss of confidence in his ability to serve as commanding officer.

The Navy confirmed the action to Navy Times this week and Everhart was replaced by Capt. Mark Schmall.

Everhart graduated from Montana State University in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and was commissioned following completion of Officer Candidate School, according to his official Navy biography.

He took command of the Ohio-class ballistic submarine in January.

Confidence in Everhart’s leadership started to drop during an investigation that began about a month ago, according to Navy Times. Navy officials didn’t disclose the nature of the investigation since it is ongoing.

 

 

Everhart previously served on the Pennsylvania in 2012 as the executive officer, according to the Navy.

The submarine is armed with torpedos and 24 Trident II missiles and is part of the Navy’s leg of the nuclear triad, which also include intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear bombs carried by bomber aircraft.

Nuclear submarines have identical but separate crews, the blue and gold, that rotate manning the ship at sea. That allows the Navy to maximize the submarine and spend more time at sea.