Joint Chiefs’ top military planner latest general to be ousted from job

The military’s top planner was abruptly ousted from his post with the Joint Chiefs of Staff this week. Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, director for strategy, plans and policy, is no longer on the Joint Staff and is going to retire, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to Task & Purpose. 

Slyvia’s departure was first revealed by The Atlantic Wednesday, with the outlet reporting that Sylvia had been fired by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on whether the departure was a firing, a dismissal, forced retirement — or if it came at the direction of Hegseth.

Sylvia was the director for strategy, plans and policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also known as J5, which is responsible for matching the Pentagon’s policy with the operational force and shaping the department’s long-term military strategy.

Hegseth has not commented on the firing on social media. The Office of the Secretary of Defense directed questions over Sylvia’s removal to the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

No reason was publicly given by the Pentagon for Sylvia’s apparent firing. No replacement or interim J5 was named as of Wednesday night, which leaves the president’s top military advisors without a lead planner during an active conflict. The Joint Chiefs are uniformed officers from across the branches who act as the lead military advising body to the president, Secretary of Defense and National Security Council.

A Pentagon official told CBS News that Sylvia was accused of sharing classified information on the Iran war and Russia-Ukraine war with the press, and that the three-star failed three polygraph tests. 

Sylvia’s firing marks him as the latest high-level member of the military to be forced out. His predecessor, Army Lt. Gen. Joe McGee, retired last fall after reported disputes with Hegseth and Caine. Last year, Air Force Gen. Charles CQ Brown was fired as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Other top military leaders were also ousted, including Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, Defense Intelligence Agency Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse and the heads of Naval Special Warfare Command and the Navy Reserve. 

This year, several top Army leaders have also been forced out, including then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Gen. Christopher Donahue, who had served as the head of the 82nd Airborne Division before leading U.S. Army Europe and Africa.

Before serving with the Joint Chiefs, Sylvia was a special assistant to the Army Chief of Staff under Gen. George. Before that, Sylvia commanded the 101st Airborne Division based out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. During his command of the 101st, the unit was one of the first selected for the Army’s modernization overhaul — under George — where the 101st was outfitted to test new technology and formations for large-scale, modern combat.

Sylvia also served as the vice director for the J-5, and as deputy commanding general of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas, including when the unit deployed to Poland for Operation Atlantic Resolve.

When reached for comment, a spokesperson with the Joint Chiefs of Staff issued the following statement: “Out of respect for the service member and the ongoing personnel process, we will not comment further.”

Sylvia’s departure comes as the United States remains at war with Iran — and President Donald Trump repeatedly talks about renewing the conflict after next week’s midterm elections —  ongoing air campaigns against militants in Somalia and as the military expands a campaign against alleged drug traffickers in Latin America. 

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