Army fires another DC-based command sergeant major after relieving one accused of sleeping with subordinates

Another Army command sergeant major stationed in the Washington, D.C., area has been fired less than a week after the Command Sergeant Major of the Army’s Military District of Washington.

Command Sgt. Maj. Harold “Ed” Jarrell, the top enlisted leader for the Army’s 1st Information Operations Command, was relieved Tuesday.

As usual, the Army said he was fired due to a “lack of trust and confidence in his ability to lead effectively.

This is the standard line the military uses when they do not want to provide details, such as for the firing of Army Command Sergeant Major Veronica Knapp on August 8.

Knapp was most notably publicized when she became the first woman to serve as the senior enlisted leader of the 101st Airborne Division.

The Army gave the same “lack of trust” reason for firing her but, according to Terminal CWO, she left the 101st Airborne and was assigned to the Army’s Military District of Washington after indiscretions at Fort Campbell.

They claim she had extramarital sexual relations with soldiers at the post and “was likely moved to DC after being discovered performing oral sex on a SSG in the division parking lot.”

They also alleged she had sex with the soldier assigned to be her driver as well.

Command Sgt. Maj. Veronica Knapp, Joint Task Force – National Capital Region and U.S. Army Military District of Washington, is greeted by Command Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Smith, Senior Enlisted Leader to the Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard, Dec. 20, 2023. CSM Knapp received a tour and capabilities brief encompassing Army and Air components, and joint operations within the D.C. National Guard. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Arthur M. Wright)

Her affairs also occurred “during European deployments at MKAB (Romania) and in Poland.”

Knapp joined the Army in 2000 and completed one combat tour to Bagram, Afghanistan during her 24 years of service.

She is also married to Cordell Knapp and has two children.

While Jarrell happened to be fired around the same time as Knapp, no allegations or claims have been made to connect the incidents.

The last Army command sergeant major to be fired was last month, in connection to “alcohol-related incidents.”

Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Carlson was the senior enlisted leader for the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Europe before being fired on July 16.

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