After firing the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency (New: SecDef Fires Defense Intelligence Agency Chief – RedState), Secretary of Defense capped off his Friday by dismissing the Chief of the Navy Reserve, Vice Admiral Nancy Lacore (that organization still has her bio posted indicating either sloth or rebellion) and the Commander of Naval Special Operations Command, Rear Admiral Milton "Jamie" Sands.
According to the US Naval Institute, “Effective immediately, Rear Adm. Milton ‘Jamie’ Sands III will no longer serve as commander, Naval Special Warfare Command,” the official told USNI News. “Effective immediately, Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore will no longer serve as the chief of Navy Reserve.”
The triple play leaves no doubt that Pete Hegseth is very serious about reshaping the senior leadership of the military.
No further reason was given for the dismissal of Admirals Lacore and Sands, but the total context gives some hints. A little earlier in the day, when Hegseth defenestrated USAF Lieutenant General Jeffrey Kruse from his perch at the Defense Intelligence Agency, it was understood that this was directly related to Kruse's decision to release a low-confidence DIA assessment of Operation Midnight Hammer, which claimed that Iran's nuclear infrastructure was largely undamaged.
RELATED:
Hegseth to Leaker of Iran Attack Assessment: FBI Is Coming for You – RedState
Trump Claps Back at Claims Iran Moved Nuclear Material Before Attack—'We Got It' – RedState
Given the political sensitivity of the mission, permitting a more-likely-than-not inaccurate assessment free in the news ecosystem indicates a political tone-deafness on a Biblical scale or blatant sabotage but either way you can't have someone like that in a responsible position (As an aside, during Desert Storm the consensus in the Army Operations Center was that the DIA would always report the opposite of the CIA because if they got it wrong, no one remembered, and if they got it right, they could always point to being right while the CIA was wrong.)
There is a hint that Admiral Lacore may have been fired for not being sufficiently energetic in supporting Secretary Hegseth's agenda.
Either VADM Nancy Lacore, Chief of the Navy Reserve, is being exceptionally ill-served by her staff, or is having a hissy fit. This is an either-or proposition. /1
Were I her N1 (her Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education division), I already would have sat down with my YNC/YNCS (senior enlisted folks in the personnel and admin section) probably before Christmas, & would have Revisions to the above Encl 1, 4, & 6 to answer the expected mail. That would limit the outright cancelling of Encl. 2,3, and 5. Such a broad cancellation like the above is, at best, and uninformed overreaction.
Still, not tired of winning.
As my long-time acquaintance @cdrsalamander points out, this indicates an abysmal ability to anticipate requirements, or it suggests a pique at having a pet program, DEI, cancelled. It's not a good look, and you don't need someone running a major command who falls into either category.
The story with Vice Admiral Sands is a lot less clear, but I can see two points of tension. First, the legendary indiscipline among deployed SEAL Teams may have reached critical mass, or second, it involves some DEI effort to make the SEAL Teams more inclusive.
These three firings follow other high-profile firings and retirements.
In February, Trump and Hegseth fired several of the top military leaders, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr., Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, and the Air Force’s second in command, Gen. James Slife. Additional firings since have included the commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard and the head of U.S. Cyber Command.
Thursday, USAF Chief of Staff David Allvin announced he will retire halfway through his four-year term. According to reports, Allvin wanted to push ahead with a service-wide reorganization of the Air Force named “Reoptimizing for Great Power Competition.” Hegseth disapproved of the effort and had told Allvin he could quit or be fired.
Hegseth's willingness to remove questionable generals and admirals without an official replacement lined up indicates that he's not willing to wait on institutional processes and that he's trying to make it clear that people are not leaving voluntarily.
Few things are harder than turning around a failing, but complacent and self-satisfied organization. That is the challenge facing Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The military services have been hollowed out through DEI and dysfunctional leadership. The industrial base is dead in the water. Follow RedState for some of the most informed coverage on his efforts to recreate a force in crisis. Join RedState VIP and help continue that coverage. Use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your membership.