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The U.S. Army removed a top general overseeing forces in Europe from command in recent days, close to two months before his time in the role is slated to end, two U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss internal personnel matters, told The Hill on Friday.
Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza was the commanding general of the Army’s V Corps, a forward-deployed corps headquartered at Fort Knox, Ky., and Camp Kościuszko, Poland.
When reached for comment, the Army confirmed to The Hill Costanza’s removal, adding the matter was “referred to the appropriate authority in accordance with Army regulations.”
Brig. Gen. John B. Mountford, deputy commanding general of readiness for V Corps, will serve as the acting commanding general, an Army spokesperson said.
Maj. Gen. Thomas Feltey, who was nominated for promotion to lieutenant general last month, is to assume command of V Corps at Fort Knox in October. Feltey previously led 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.
Costanza’s abrupt removal comes as more than two dozen senior military officers have been removed or sidelined under the Pentagon’s leadership of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The shake-ups have impacted the Army as well, with Hegseth removing Army chief of staff Gen. Randy George and Gen. Chris Donahue, the commander of U.S. Army Europe and Africa.
But Costanza’s ouster was not political and was not done at the direction of Hegseth, two sources familiar with Costanza’s removal told The Hill.
“Conduct that would get a commander relieved at any level,” one of the sources said.
Previously, Costanza, who holds a master’s degree in military studies from American Military University, was the deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Europe – Africa. Before that post, he was the commander general of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga.
Costanza’s removal was reported earlier by ABC News.
The Pentagon canceled the planned deployment of the Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division to Poland in May. The brigade is based at Fort Hood, Texas.
Later that month, President Trump announced that the U.S. would send 5,000 troops to Poland.
Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said in June that the return of U.S. service members to the country will materialize in the “coming weeks.”
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), who sits on the House Armed Services Committee, told The Hill in late July that the U.S. still hasn’t sent an Army brigade to Poland.
“They’re sitting down,” Bacon said. “They’re trying to wait them out or something. I don’t know what they’re doing.”
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