Secretary of the Army calls it quits
WASHINGTON — Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy resigned Wednesday, he said in a letter to the military’s largest branch, capping a term of tumultuous moments that ended with the unprecedented use of the National Guard at home.
His departure comes amid questions about his role in readying National Guard troops to respond to the U.S. Capitol riot in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, and about whether delays contributed to the disastrous outcome. His responsibilities included overseeing the use of Guard members in the District.
Former Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund said law enforcement colleagues in Congress hesitated to deploy nearby National Guard members as throngs of rioters stormed the building, citing uneasiness about the images of soldiers guarding the halls of government.
In the aftermath, McCarthy told Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., that because local and congressional authorities didn’t articulate additional needs ahead of the event, the D.C. Guard wasn’t prepared to react to the insurrection at the Capitol.
McCarthy’s legacy will remain mixed, defense analysts and military experts have said.
His efforts to modernize the force against foes such as China and Russia, and candid assessments about how the Army prioritizes costly programs, have won him praise at a time when defense budgets will remain flat.
But that focus was overshadowed last year by a wave of deaths and disappearances at Fort Hood, including that of Spc. Vanessa Guillén, that revealed systemic leadership failures and led McCarthy to fire or suspend 14 Fort Hood leaders.