V Corps welcomes new top general ahead of schedule after sudden firing of predecessor

Lt. Gen. Thomas M. Feltey took command this week of the service’s headquarters that oversees operations on Europe’s eastern flank, a move that comes more than a month ahead of schedule following the sudden relief of his predecessor.

Feltey, who previously led the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division, was handed the reins of V Corps Monday and received his third star during a ceremony at Fort Knox, Ky., the Army said in a statement Wednesday. 

V Corps operates the Army’s forward-deployed headquarters in Poznan, Poland, which serves as a key command hub for U.S. Army operations along NATO’s eastern front. The corps also maintains its stateside headquarters at Fort Knox. 

Feltey’s assumption of command was originally planned for October but was expedited following the firing of Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza in early August, two months before the scheduled end of his tenure. 

The circumstances surrounding Costanza’s relief have yet to be disclosed by Army officials.

With Costanza absent from the ceremony, the V Corps colors were passed to Feltey by Gen. Christopher C. LaNeve, the Army’s acting chief of staff. 

U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Thomas M. Feltey speaks during an assumption of command ceremony at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Aug. 31, 2026. Feltey, promoted to lieutenant general as he took command of V Corps, told soldiers he intends to keep the corps forward-deployed and ready to deter aggression in Europe. (Hector Blanco/U.S. Army)

“During his time as commanding general of 1st Cavalry Division, Tom deployed to Poland,” LaNeve said Monday. “He could see and understand the operation and strategic environment of V Corps firsthand.

The unit manages several major formations stationed across Europe, including the Vilseck-based 2nd Cavalry Regiment, the Army’s only forward-deployed Stryker brigade; the 41st Field Artillery Brigade in Grafenwoehr; and the Ansbach-based 12th Combat Aviation Brigade. 

Feltey has more than 38 years of military experience, enlisting in the New Jersey National Guard in 1988 and commissioning as an armor officer in 1993, according to his official biography. 

He has served in a variety of command and staff positions across the Army, including a recent deployment in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve with the Fort Hood, Texas-based 1st Cavalry Division and six deployments supporting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Alongside our allies and partners, we will remain a forward-deployed, lethal and credible force, steadfast in our dedication to assuring our partners and deterring aggression in the European theater,” Feltey said.