Army Four Star General Suspended for Inappropriate Behavior

Possible Misuse of Power

Army Secretary Christine Wormuth took decisive action against Gen. Charles Hamilton, the head of Army Materiel Command, following reports in the press that uncovered his possible undue influence on a service evaluation committee.

His intent was allegedly to bolster the career prospects of a female lieutenant colonel deemed unsuitable for leadership roles. This development led to Hamilton’s suspension and the initiation of an investigation by the Defense Department inspector general, a move seldom seen against a high-ranking four-star general.

Wormuth’s spokesperson, Col. Randee Farrell, stated that Wormuth was alerted to serious accusations suggesting that Gen. Hamilton had meddled with the Army‘s Command Assessment Program (CAP) during the previous autumn. Consequently, Hamilton was suspended while awaiting the results from the Pentagon’s probe and any other investigations that may follow.

In Hamilton’s absence, Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan has been appointed as the interim commander of AMC.

Investigations by Military.com unveiled a concerted effort by Hamilton to sway the Army Command Assessment Program panel in favor of a female lieutenant colonel aiming for a battalion leadership position. This assessment scheme is designed to be impervious to external influence, assessing officers’ leadership capabilities without bias.

The Officer’s Identity Remains Confidential

Despite Hamilton’s intervention, which involved contacting members of the assessment panel, the lieutenant colonel was ultimately judged unfit for leadership due to her ineffective and counterproductive management style. Nevertheless, she was later added to a command selection list, bypassing the panel’s decision.

Following the exposé, the lieutenant colonel was removed from the candidate list for command positions, with instructions to reapply the following year. Her identity remains confidential, as no misconduct was attributed to her in the reporting.

The investigation involved discussions with high-ranking Army officials and a review of a memo by Col. Robert O’Brien, the director of the assessment panel, detailing Hamilton’s undue influence. O’Brien’s memo provided a timeline of Hamilton’s actions, including meetings and communications to sway the assessment outcome.

Willful Violation of Army Regulations

Hamilton’s advocacy began with undisclosed meetings at the annual Association of the United States Army convention in Washington, D.C., followed by his involvement in the lieutenant colonel’s Battalion Commander Assessment Program (BCAP) panel at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Despite procedural safeguards to ensure impartiality, Hamilton managed to monitor the process and even secured a re-evaluation for the lieutenant colonel against Army regulations.

His actions have sparked widespread concern within the Army, prompting officials to reassess the integrity of the command selection process and implement measures to prevent similar incidents.

The Army has committed to reviewing the CAP and the broader command selection process post-investigation to ensure fairness and integrity. The BCAP, initiated in 2020, was seen as a significant advancement in selecting battalion commanders, a critical juncture where strategic directives and frontline management converge.

This incident has underscored the necessity of reinforcing the selection process’s defenses against undue influence and maintaining the trust and efficacy of Army leadership pathways.