The commanding officer of the U.S. Naval Station in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, John R. Nettleton, has been relieved of duty and reassigned to a staff position in Jacksonville, Fla. "due to loss of confidence" in his "ability to command," the Navy said, according to reports. Rear Adm. Mary M. Jackson, commander of Navy Region Southeast, made the decision of relieve Nettleton of his duties. He will be replaced by Jackson's chief of staff, Capt. Scott Gray, the Navy said.

The Navy would not comment directly on the reasons for the move, citing an ongoing  investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). However anonymous military officials said that while investigating the death of a civilian, the Navy received information alleging that Nettleton was engaged in an inappropriate relationship with the civilian's wife.

On Jan. 11 Christopher Tur was found dead near the base in Guantanamo Bay. His wife had reported him missing the day before. CNN reported there are initial indications that Tur's death was a suicide, but the official cause of death has not been determined.

An affair is a violation of military law and could constitute grounds for Nettleton's reassignment.

Tur and his wife arrived at the base in 2011. Tur worked at the Navy Exchange and his wife is the director of the Navy Fleet and Family Services Center.

Nettleton had been in charge of the naval base since 2012. The base supports the Navy, Coast Guard and allied ships in the Caribbean but does not oversee the detention facility that President Obama wants to see shut down.

Nettleton began his career as a Marine infantryman prior to receiving his Navy commission is 1987. He was a helicopter pilot with more than 4,500 flight hours under his belt.

Prior to his position in Cuba, Nettleton was assistant chief of staff for force safety at Naval Air Forces in San Diego.