U.S. Army relieves senior General of command

General Charles Hamilton, one of the US Army’s most senior officers, has been dismissed following an investigation into allegations that he improperly influenced the promotion of a junior officer.

As one of only 12 four-star generals in the US Army, his dismissal marks a significant disciplinary action within the U.S. military.

The investigation, conducted by the Department of the Army Inspector General, concluded that Hamilton had used his authority to interfere with the Army’s Command Assessment Programme and a centralised selection board. It found that he had attempted to influence the promotion of a lieutenant colonel under his mentorship to a command position, which violated established protocols for impartiality in leadership selection.

In response, US Army Secretary Christine Wormuth relieved Hamilton of his command of Army Materiel Command, an organisation responsible for logistics and supply chain management.

Hamilton had already been suspended in March while the investigation was ongoing. Lieutenant General Chris Mohan has been serving as the acting commander and will continue in the role until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Details of the Investigation

According to the Inspector General’s findings, Hamilton improperly attempted to leverage his position to influence the outcome of the officer’s selection for command. US Army spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith confirmed that the investigation identified interference with the Army’s Command Assessment Programme, calling it a breach of professional standards.

Hamilton, who mentored the junior officer involved, defended his actions in a letter to Secretary Wormuth, stating that systemic bias and discrimination in the US Army’s selection process disproportionately affect officers of colour. Both Hamilton and the junior officer, who has not been named, are Black.

However, the investigation found that Hamilton’s actions overstepped the boundaries of appropriate mentorship and violated policies designed to ensure fairness in promotions.

The US Army stressed that there was no evidence of wrongdoing by the lieutenant colonel in question, and her identity has been withheld as she is not implicated in any misconduct.

Lieutenant General Chris Mohan will remain in his role as acting commander of Army Materiel Command until a permanent leader is appointed. The command plays a crucial role in equipping US forces globally and ensuring operational readiness.