(SeaPRwire) –   In the middle of the U.S.-Israel war with Iran, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has removed Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and two other generals from their posts, a Pentagon official confirmed to TIME. These are the latest dismissals in a wider restructuring of U.S. military leadership since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

On Thursday, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced on X that George “will be retiring from his position as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army effective immediately,” adding, “The Department of War is grateful for General George’s decades of service to our nation.”

A Pentagon official confirmed to TIME that Gen. Christopher LaNeve will assume the role of acting chief of staff, replacing George. The same official verified that Hegseth also dismissed the chief of chaplains, Maj. Gen. William Green Jr., and the commander of Army Transformation and Training Command, Gen. David Hodne.

No reason was given by the Pentagon official for the three dismissals.

In the months following the start of Trump’s second term, the Pentagon has already removed several other high-ranking military officers. Those ousted included the majority of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, such as the former Chairman, Gen. C.Q. Brown; the Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Lisa Franchetti; and the Air Force’s Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. Jim Slife.

The removal of the three senior officials on Thursday occurred one day after President Trump gave a speech on the war with Iran. He stated that U.S. strikes would bring Iran “back to the stone ages where they belong” within two to three weeks, but provided little information about the conflict’s next phase. Since the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes began the war over a month ago, the Administration and Trump have given conflicting statements regarding the conflict’s status and the definition of victory.

Below are details about the officers Hegseth dismissed this week and the Army’s incoming chief of staff.

Who did Hegseth fire?

George was three years into the standard four-year term as army chief of staff, the service’s highest-ranking position.

His nomination for the 41st chief of staff came from President Joe Biden, and the Senate confirmed him in 2023. His previous roles included vice chief of staff—a post LaNeve has held since February—and, before that, senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin from 2021 to 2022.

After graduating from West Point, George was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1988 and subsequently served in the first Gulf War, Iraq, and Afghanistan. His Army biography notes deployments for Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. He received numerous awards for his service.

According to an unnamed U.S. official who spoke to CNN, Hegseth notified George of his dismissal via a phone call while the general was in a meeting on Thursday.

On Thursday, West Point recognized George’s service in an Instagram post.

The caption stated, “Through candid insight and experience, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George challenged them to lead with integrity—even when it’s not easy,” adding, “Thank you, Gen. George, for investing in the next generation of Army leaders.”

Several military officials expressed criticism of George’s removal in comments to news organizations.

One anonymous U.S. official remarked to Axios about George’s firing: “Here is a four-star general who is actively working to get equipment and people into theater — to protect U.S. forces — and you fire him? In the middle of a war?”

Green had served as the army chief of chaplains since 2023. His dismissal is unprecedented for someone in that position.

Before becoming an army chaplain in 1994, Green served as a cannon crewman and field radio repairman. His previous assignments included deputy chief of chaplains and army Pacific Command chaplain in Fort Shafter, Hawaii. His awards include the Legion of Merit, a Bronze Star, and the Army Achievement Medal.

Hodne, a former Army Ranger, was elevated to lead the army’s Transformation and Training Command in October. At a December ceremony for the new command, Hodne described its purpose: “We enable the Army’s continuous transformation, modernizing capabilities, developing leaders, and advancing the profession to deliver decisive readiness.”

Prior to this, Hodne was the Director of the Futures and Concepts Center starting in January 2023. He is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and was commissioned as an infantry officer in 1991.

Who is Gen. Christopher LaNeve?

LaNeve was named vice chief of staff of the army in February.

He had been serving as a senior military assistant to Hegseth since April 2025, when he was selected to replace Lt. Gen Jennifer Short, who was fired by Hegseth.

In an X post congratulating LaNeve on becoming vice chief of staff, Hegseth described him as a “a generational leader” who would “help ensure the army revives the warrior ethos, rebuilds for the modern battlefield and deters our enemies around the world.”

With over 35 years of service since enlisting in 1990, LaNeve has combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan and has held several command posts. These include commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina and of the Eighth Army in South Korea.

After Trump’s inauguration, LaNeve called into the President’s ball from South Korea to offer his congratulations.

“Sir, on behalf of the brave men and women who serve under my command and the thousands of dedicated service members that are part of the joint team in Korea, congratulations on your victory as the 47th President of the United States,” LaNeve said.

A transcript of the event quotes Trump’s response: “Is this man central casting or what?”

Trump added, “They’re not going to play games with you. That’s good. I like to see that. Nobody is playing games with that man.”

After news broke of George’s removal, Pentagon spokesperson Parnell stated that LaNeve is “a battle-tested leader with decades of operational experience and is completely trusted by Secretary Hegseth to carry out the vision of this administration without fault.”