He sent a letter to the chairman of the NPS, Gregory Rusland, to inform him of his departure.

NPS chairman Gregory Rusland made it clear that he did not want to respond yet to the departure of his fellow party member. “I have heard the news but I have not yet seen the letter,” said Rusland. Fernald told the media that there is no more room for him in the NPS due to the opposition against him, the lack of appreciation and the loss of internal control mechanisms within the party. He confirmed his exit in an interview that took place in a radio program of ABC. Fernald explained that these past couple of years his involvement in the party was repeatedly met with a lack of respect and systematic undermining. He also criticized the way the NPS is currently being run and claimed that the opinion of the chairman has become the rule of law within the party. Fernald entered politics in 2005 and became the new minister of Defense after the elections of May 2005. In 2012 he ran against Gregory Rusland during the internal elections but lost, as Rusland had the support of more divisions. Rusland then became the new chairman of the NPS. From 2013 until 2017 Fernald was the coordinator of the Japin scientific bureau of the NPS.