The commander of the US 5th Army Corps, which is partly based in Poland and is involved in coordinating support for Ukraine, was recently replaced without an official explanation, ABC News has learned. The channel’s source claims that Lieutenant General Charles Costanza did not lose his post for political reasons.
Costanza has commanded the 5th Army Corps since April 2024. The operational-tactical unit is based at Fort Knox in Kentucky and Camp Kosciuszko in Poznan, Poland. As ABC News notes, since 2022, the corps has begun to play a leading role “at the forefront of NATO.”
Prior to his appointment to Main Corps Europe, Costanza commanded the US Army's 3rd Infantry Division and previously helped coordinate operations against ISIS in Iraq.
The 57-year-old lieutenant general was already supposed to leave his current post, but not earlier than October. The Senate that year confirmed Major General Thomas Felty as his successor.
Why the Pentagon decided to force the replacement is unknown. A source familiar with the situation told the channel that the commander’s dismissal is not related to past personnel decisions by Pentagon head Pete Hegseth.
The minister has previously been criticized for sacking dozens of senior officers without explanation. In particular, female military personnel lost a number of high positions.
Brigadier General John Mountford will serve as interim commander of the 5th Army Corps until Felty's leadership is transferred, ABC News adds.
