{"id":2573761,"date":"2026-02-26T05:10:01","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T10:10:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-removes-joint-staff-director-after-less-than-90-days-on-the-job\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T05:11:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T10:11:36","slug":"pentagon-removes-joint-staff-director-after-less-than-90-days-on-the-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pentagon-removes-joint-staff-director-after-less-than-90-days-on-the-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Pentagon removes Joint Staff director after less than 90 days on the job"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fpentagon-removes-joint-staff-director-after-less-than-90-days-on-the-job%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2573761&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Pentagon announced a leadership reshuffle, removing Vice Admiral Fred Kacher from his post as the Joint Staff Director after less than 90 days on the job, a move led by chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine. kacher had assumed the role on December 5, 2025, and will reportedly return to active Navy service, with no replacement named yet. the Joint Staff Director is a prestigious and influential three<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >-star position responsible<\/a> for day-to-day operations and key meetings within the Pentagon,and is a critical step in a senior officer\u2019s career progression.<\/p>\n<p>Caine expressed gratitude for Kacher\u2019s service and leadership, while Reuters noted that an anonymous source said the removal was as Kacher was not a good fit for the role, though no official reason was provided. kacher\u2019s background includes more than 30 years in the Navy, a Naval Academy education, a Master\u2019s from Harvard\u2019s Kennedy School, command of the U.S. Seventh Fleet,and prior service as the Joint Staff\u2019s Vice Director for Operations in 2022. The article also highlights that such a sudden replacement is unusual and places the development in the context of other recent personnel changes in defense leadership.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Pentagon removes Joint Staff director after less than 90 days on the job<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2516068\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pentagon\/\">Pentagon<\/a> announced on Wednesday that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dan-caine\/\">Dan Caine<\/a>, was restructuring leadership and that Vice Admiral Fred Kacher was being removed from his position as director of the Joint Staff. Kacher assumed the role on December 5, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We are deeply grateful for Vice Adm. Kacher&rsquo;s dedicated service to the Joint Force and his contributions to the Joint Staff,&rdquo; Caine <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/breakingdefense.com\/2026\/02\/joint-staff-director-returning-to-navy-after-only-months-on-job\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">said in a statement<\/a>. &ldquo;Since graduating from the United States Naval Academy, Vice Adm. Kacher has answered the call for every kind of selfless service imaginable. The Navy will be glad to have him back, and we thank him and them for the loan of his leadership.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4472711\/rubio-nuclear-proliferation-deals-involve-china-and-russia\/\">Rubio says any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rubio-says-any-future-nuclear-proliferation-deals-has-to-involve-china-and-russia\/\" title=\"Rubio says any future nuclear proliferation deals \u2018has to involve\u2019 China and Russia\">future nuclear proliferation deals<\/a> have &#8216;to involve&rsquo; China and Russia<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4471692\/japan-deploy-missiles-island-near-taiwan-five-years\/\">Japan to deploy missiles to tiny island near Taiwan within the next five years<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4471463\/us-military-plane-hits-road-barrier-philippine-training-injuring-personnel\/\">US military plane hits road barrier during Philippine training, injuring five personnel<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The position of the Joint Staff director is a prestigious one that is &ldquo;heavily influential inside the Pentagon&rdquo; and is usually involved in &ldquo;behind-the-scenes&rdquo; procedures, according to <em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/breakingdefense.com\/2026\/02\/joint-staff-director-returning-to-navy-after-only-months-on-job\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Breaking Defense<\/a><\/em>. The director manages &ldquo;the day in and day out of the Joint Staff and sits in on key meetings.&rdquo; It is also considered a vital position for three-star officers in terms of career growth and promotions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The decision to remove him was Caine&rsquo;s. <em>Reuters <\/em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/pentagon-removes-senior-official-joint-staff-post-sources-say-2026-02-26\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a> that an anonymous source said Kacher was removed because he was ultimately deemed not a good fit for the role. However, other sources said there was no official reason for Kacher&rsquo;s removal. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fact-check-has-susan-rice-been-convicted-of-treason\/\" title=\"FACT CHECK: Has Susan Rice Been Convicted Of Treason?\">vice admiral<\/a> will reportedly &ldquo;return to service&rdquo; with the U.S. Navy, a Joint Staff spokesperson told <em>Reuters<\/em>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Kacher has a distinguished career of over 30 years of service in the U.S. Navy. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has a Master&rsquo;s Degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. The <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/nomination\/118th-congress\/212\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">vice admiral<\/a> was the commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet. He was also previously <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.war.gov\/News\/Releases\/Release\/Article\/3050500\/flag-officer-assignments\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">named<\/a> the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-military-members-resisting-getting-covid-vaccination\/\" title=\"Report: Military members resisting getting COVID vaccination\">vice director<\/a> for operations of the Joint Staff in 2022.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4471164\/read-in-full-president-donald-trumps-state-of-the-union-speech\/\">READ IN FULL: PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP&rsquo;S STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH<\/a><\/p>\n<p>No replacement was named for the position, and it is highly unusual for someone to be removed from the position so quickly.<\/p>\n<p>Kacher&rsquo;s removal comes less than two weeks after it was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/defense\/4460162\/pete-hegseth-pushes-out-army-chief-public-affairs-dave-butler\/\">reported<\/a> that Col. Dave Butler was removed from his position as chief of Army public affairs and chief adviser to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pentagon ousts Joint Staff director after 3 months<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2573762,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pentagon-dod-1.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[546,33651,538],"tags":[3998,74607,72188,71194,3761],"class_list":["post-2573761","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-federalist","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-defense","tag-joint-staff","tag-leadership-change-2","tag-military-news-2","tag-pentagon"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/pentagon-dod-1.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2573761","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2573761"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2573761\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2573765,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2573761\/revisions\/2573765"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2573762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2573761"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2573761"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2573761"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}