V Corps commander relieved with 2 months left in tenure 

A senior Army general who led V Corps, the Army’s forward-deployed headquarters in Poland responsible for operations along NATO’s eastern flank, was fired in recent days, according to service officials.

Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza, who had commanded the corps since April 2024, was removed with about two months remaining in his planned tenure, ABC News first reported late Friday.

The reason for Costanza’s relief has not been disclosed by Army officials.

“The matter has been referred to the appropriate authority in accordance with Army regulations,” an Army spokesperson told Stars and Stripes, confirming Costanza’s removal from command.

V Corps officials did not immediately respond to Stars and Stripes requests for comment on the matter.

The unit, which oversees soldiers operating on NATO’s eastern flank, is headquartered in Poznan, Poland. It has a separate stateside command post at Fort Knox in Kentucky.

A mainstay in Europe throughout the Cold War, V Corps disbanded in 2013 as part of a long post-Cold War reduction of U.S. forces on the continent. The unit’s forward position was reactivated in Poland in 2020 and later became the Army’s first permanent garrison in the country.

V Corps has played a central role in NATO’s eastern Europe operations, including Operation Atlantic Resolve and the service’s Project Flytrap and Transforming in Contact initiative.

The corps oversees several major Army formations in Europe, including the Vilseck-based 2nd Cavalry Regiment, the Grafenwoehr-based 41st Field Artillery Brigade and the Ansbach-based 12th Combat Aviation Brigade.

The move comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has overseen the removal of several senior military leaders while also pushing to reduce the number of general and flag officers across the armed forces. Army officials have not said whether Costanza’s removal is related to those broader changes.

The Pentagon last month launched its planned review of the U.S. military mission in Europe, a move that could pave the way for a major overhaul as Washington shifts more of NATO’s defense burden to allies.

The U.S. military presence in Europe has already been reduced over the past year. In October, the Army discontinued a rotational brigade mission in Romania. In May, an armored brigade’s deployment to Poland was canceled.

The Pentagon has also said it will cut 5,000 troops from Germany. One unit affected by that decision was a long-range fires team that was expected to deploy to Germany in 2026. Meanwhile, Trump has directed the Pentagon to send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, a move that has yet to be implemented.

Before taking command of V Corps, Costanza led the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart in Georgia.

Costanza’s change of command with Maj. Gen. Thomas Feltey was originally planned for October. Following Costanza’s relief, V Corps’ deputy commander, Brig. Gen. John Mountford, will serve as acting commander, an Army spokesperson said.