The US Army Lieutenant General Telita Crosland, the head of the army’s health agency and one of the most senior black female officers in the army was forced to retire on Friday, two sources told Reuters. The step came a week after President Donald Trump fired the chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff and other senior officials in an unprecedented shake-up.
Although Crossland’s retirement was publicly declared, Reuters first report that he was forced to end his 32 -year military career.
On Friday, Defense Assistant Secretary for Health Affairs Stephen Ferrara said that Crossland had started its retirement.
“I would like to thank Crawsland for the military health system and army medicine for the last 32 years for dedication to the nation,” Ferrara said in a statement.
But a current and former officer, while speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Crisaland was told that he should retire. He was not given any reason, the officials said.
The Pentagon refused to say why Crossland retired and referred to Reuters to the Defense Health Agency. DHA did not immediately respond to the remarks request.
The Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has gone quickly to end the initiative of diversity, equity and inclusion in the Pentagon, arguing that they are divisive.
Earlier this month, Hegseth said that he felt “diversity is our strength” “was the single most humble phrase in military history”.
Hegseth has also abolished the memory of identity ceremonies like Black History Month and Women History Month.
Variety, equity and inclusion programs want to promote opportunities for women, ethnic minorities and other traditionally low groups. Advocates of civil rights argue that such programs, usually supported by Democrats, need to address long -term inequalities and structural racism.
In an article posted on the Health Agency website last year, Crossland reduced her identity as a black woman in the army.
He said, “I really do nothing day by day in terms of my race or my penis. It has always been a difficult question for me to answer.”
“It’s not because I do not understand the responsibility … of course, there are challenges that come from being a woman in the army, there are challenges that come from being an African being American and being in the army.”
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