Two Army senior enlisted leaders in the Washington, D.C., area have been fired in the last week, service officials confirmed Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. ((U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew Lucibello))
WASHINGTON – A second Army top enlisted leader in the past week has been fired from a position in the Washington, D.C., area, the service said Friday.
Command Sgt. Maj. Harold “Ed” Jarrell, the top enlisted leader for the Army’s 1st Information Operations Command, was relieved Tuesday due to a “loss of trust and confidence in his ability to effectively lead,” said Maj. Lindsay Roman, a spokeswoman for U.S. Army Cyber Command. The decision came after the completion of a 15-6 investigation.
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A 15-6 investigation is typically a commander-driven probe that can lead to administrative punishment or a court-martial following a recommendation from an investigating officer.
Roman did not know who would replace Jarrell.
The 1st Information Operations Command, based in Fort Belvoir, Va., is the service’s only active-duty information operations unit, according to the unit’s website.
Jarrell was born in Washington, D.C., and enlisted in the Army National Guard in December 1999, according to his military record. He later transitioned to active duty and spent time with the 10th Mountain Division, which is based at Fort Drum, N.Y. In 2009, Jarrell reclassified his military occupational specialty from infantryman to counterintelligence.
His awards include five Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
Jarrell’s firing comes shortly after another senior enlisted leader in the area was fired. Command Sgt. Maj. Veronica Knapp, the top enlisted leader for the Army’s Military District of Washington, was fired Aug. 8. Knapp made news in 2021 as the first woman named command sergeant major of the 101st Airborne Division, which is based at Fort Campbell, Ky. She was in a similar role for the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/United States Army Military District of Washington.
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Knapp was also fired due to a “loss of trust and confidence” and as the result of a 15-6 investigation, said Bernhard Lashleyleidner, a task force spokesman.
Under federal privacy law, military officials are not required to disclose the reasons for removing or reassigning personnel. Military officials often cite “a loss of confidence” when commanders are removed from their posts without providing any specifics that led to the decision.
The firings in the nation’s capital region come after a senior enlisted leader for the Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade, Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Carlson, was relieved of his duties last month due to alcohol-related incidents.
