Army Maj. Gen. Ken Kamper, pictured here at a 2020 event at Fort Sill, Okla., has been suspended as commander of the service’s Fires Center of Excellence and the base, Army officials announced Friday, Feb. 3. 2023. The Army inspector general is conducting an investigation of Kamper, but service officials would not reveal the nature of the allegations against him. (U.S. Army)
Maj. Gen. Kenneth Kamper was suspended from his position as the commander of the Army Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill, Okla., while the Army inspector general investigates unnamed allegations against him, service officials announced Friday.
Gen. Gary Brito, commander Army Training and Doctrine Command, decided on the suspension, said Cynthia O. Smith, an Army spokeswoman. Kamper will remain at Fort Sill to “perform duties directed by his chain of command,” she said.
Brig. Gen. Shane Morgan, deputy commander of the Fires Center of Excellence, will serve as interim commander and as the general court-martial convening authority.
Smith declined to confirm the nature of the inspector general’s review, but said it is not related to any allegations of sexual misconduct.
Fort Sill is home to the Army’s field and air defense artillery training facilities and trains about 20,000 soldiers each year for basic training and advanced individual training.
Last month, roughly 100 Ukrainians troops arrived at the base to learn how to operate and maintain the Patriot missile system to help fend off aerial attacks in the country’s war with Russia.
“Neither the investigation nor the change in leadership will have any impact on the operations or mission at Fort Sill, including the current training of Ukrainian forces on the Patriot missile system, and the suspension was not related to the mission or training of Ukrainian soldiers,” Smith said.
Kamper took command of Fort Sill in March 2020, according to his official service record. He previously served as the chief of staff and later deputy commander of III Corps at Fort Hood, Texas, beginning in May 2017.
About 25,000 service members are assigned to Fort Sill, which is located in Lawton, a town about 90 miles southwest of Oklahoma City.
