Washington: U.S. Army Lieutenant General Telita Crosland, head of the Defense Health Agency (DHA) and one of the Army’s highest-ranking Black female officers, was forced to retire on Friday, according to two sources cited by international news agency Reuters.
The decision follows President Donald Trump’s sweeping overhaul of military leadership, including the dismissal of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other top officers, marking an unprecedented shake-up in the Pentagon.
Although Crosland’s retirement had been officially announced, Reuters was the first to report that she was compelled to end her 32-year military career.
Sudden Departure
On Friday, Stephen Ferrara, the acting assistant secretary of defense for health affairs, acknowledged Crosland’s retirement, stating:
“I want to thank Crosland for her dedication to the nation, to the military health system, and to Army medicine for the past 32 years.”
However, a current and a former official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Crosland was instructed to retire without being given a reason. The Pentagon declined to provide further details and directed inquiries to the DHA, which did not immediately respond.
Shift in Pentagon Policies
Crosland’s forced retirement comes amid broader policy shifts under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has swiftly moved to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the military. Hegseth has argued that such initiatives create division and undermine merit-based advancement.
Earlier this month, he dismissed the notion that “diversity is our strength,” calling it “the single dumbest phrase in military history.” His administration has also ended federal recognition of observances like Black History Month and Women’s History Month within the Pentagon.
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DEI programs, which aim to promote opportunities for women and ethnic minorities, have been widely supported by civil rights advocates who argue they help address systemic inequalities. However, they have become a focal point of political debate, with critics, including Hegseth, asserting that such initiatives prioritize identity over military readiness.
Crosland’s Perspective
Despite her position as a trailblazer in the military, Crosland had previously downplayed her identity as a Black woman in uniform. In a DHA-published article last year, she reflected on her career, stating:
“I don’t actually frame anything I do day-in and day-out in the terms of my race or my gender. That’s always been a hard question for me to answer. It’s not because I don’t understand the responsibility … certainly, there are challenges that come from being a woman in the military, there are challenges that come from being African American, and being in the military.”
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As the Pentagon undergoes significant restructuring under the Trump administration, Crosland’s departure signals a broader shift in leadership and policy priorities within the U.S. military.
