Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson expressed his discontent on Friday regarding Army Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent leadership changes amidst the ongoing military situation in Iran.
On Thursday, Hegseth urged Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and retire at once. According to a senior official from the Army Department, Hegseth contacted George directly, emphasizing, “It’s time for a change in leadership in the Army.”
In response to this shake-up, Jackson was quite critical. He questioned, “What’s going on in our Pentagon? How can we get rid of all that experience at this time? Help me, I don’t understand. Get rid of the Chaplain leadership?” His reaction was shared on X.
Additionally, Gen. David Hoddon, who led the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, along with Maj. Gen. William Green, who headed the Army’s Chaplain Corps, were also let go. This news was confirmed to Reuters.
Jackson seemed perplexed, noting, “What? The war is on and most of the experience and knowledge built up over time is being lost.”
Sean Parnell, the chief spokesperson for the Department of the Army, also confirmed George’s retirement in a social media post, thanking him for his decades of service. He stated, “General Randy A. George is retiring from his position as the 41st Army Chief of Staff, effective immediately.”
Last month, Hegseth rolled out changes to the military’s “faith code,” indicating an overhaul of the Pentagon’s chaplain force, and hinted at more changes to come.
