Top General Removed from Pentagon Post, Retires

Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia was removed from his position as the Joint Staff's Director for Strategy, Plans & Policy earlier this week, according to two sources. Sylvia retired from the U.S. Army following his removal from the role.

Sylvia's removal was attributed to a lack of confidence, as stated by one of the sources. His tenure in the position lasted 11 months before he left the service.

A Joint Staff spokesperson expressed gratitude for Sylvia's 32 years of service, stating the organization wished him and his family well in their future endeavors.

Sylvia's removal was noted as part of a trend of senior military officers being sidelined or fired during Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's time in office. However, it remains unclear whether the decision was made by Hegseth or Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The Joint Staff's website initially listed Sylvia as still holding the position, but it now shows Vice Director Maj. Gen. Mark H. Slocum as the sole director of the planning office.

The J-5 directorate, where Sylvia served, is considered one of the Joint Staff's most critical roles, alongside the J-3, which oversees military operations planning and execution.

Last year, two other Army generals on the Joint Staff were forced to retire early, including Sylvia's predecessor, Lt. Gen. Joseph 'JP' McGee, who retired in October. McGee had been nominated under the Biden administration but was not renominated by the Trump administration.