An Army general has been suspended from his job for allegedly attempting to use his authority to influence the selection of a lower-ranking officer for a command position, as reported by the Army. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth conducted a review of the allegations against Gen. Charles Hamilton and found them to be credible. Consequently, Wormuth temporarily suspended Hamilton from his role as head of Army Materiel Command and referred the issue to the Defense Department’s inspector general, according to Army officials.
It was revealed that Hamilton had inappropriately intervened in the command assessment process by advocating for a female lieutenant colonel to be appointed to a command position. Despite the initial assessment board voting 5-0 against recommending her for command, Hamilton managed to secure a second interview for the officer. Prior to the second interview, Hamilton engaged with senior leaders who could have participated in the panel to discuss voting parameters and the candidates.
However, the second panel also determined that the officer was not certified for command. The Army allows officers who are not certified for command to participate in future assessment reviews, giving the officer an opportunity to try again next year. Hamilton has been reassigned pending the completion of the investigation.
Wormuth emphasized her commitment to upholding the integrity of the Battalion Commander Assessment Program. Once the investigation concludes, the Army plans to review the overall process to ensure maximum fairness. The program was established to guarantee that the Army selects competent officers for command roles and is part of an initiative to eliminate toxic leadership within the organization.
