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Originally published at Armed Forces Press.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia for “severe misconduct” according to a War Department official. The War Department official said the investigation into alleged leaks of classified information regarding the Iran war, the war between Russia and Ukraine and other highly sensitive matters has been referred to the Department of Justice.
Sylvia served as the Director of the Joint Staff Directorate for Strategy, Plans, and Policy, known inside the military as the J5. He was relieved of duty by Hegseth, according to a War Department statement posted by Jack Posobiec. The same account was given to Fox News by a Department of War official.
He failed three polygraphs which questioned him about leaking classified information on the Iran war, the war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as other sensitive issues still under investigation which has been referred to the Department of Justice, a War Department official stated.
Sylvia also was meeting with journalists outside of the Pentagon after Hegseth had required reporters inside the building to be escorted, the official and Fox News said. Because of the severity of the leaking, Hegseth made the decision to fire Sylvia immediately in order to protect national security, the official said.
A source said Sylvia is the leaker of the classified orders book. The source said that fits the way the Joint Staff works. The J5 pulls the combatant commanders’ inputs together, and the J3 publishes the orders.
The J5 director was not a central planner of the Iran war. The central planning of the Iran war is done by U.S. Central Command and its commander, Adm. Brad Cooper, the official said.
Sylvia, a West Point graduate and career officer with more than 30 years of experience, served in Iraq and Afghanistan and was wounded in combat. He commanded the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell and took over the J5 in December after serving as the vice director. He was director of the J5 at the time of his firing by Hegseth.
Sylvia is the second officer to be fired from the J5 by Hegseth after Lt. Gen. John McGee was relieved of duty, Fox News reported. In addition, Hegseth earlier this year fired the director of the Joint Staff, Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, Fox News reported.
The Justice Department and Lt. Gen. Sylvia did not return Fox News’ requests for comment.
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