The US Army’s former top spokesman, Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky, has been relieved of his duties amid a probe into a tweet he sent in response to Jill Biden’s tweet condemning the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
“For nearly 50 years, women have had the right to make our own decisions about our bodies. Today, that right was stolen from us,” Jill Biden tweeted on June 24, following the revocation of Roe v. Wade.
“Glad to see you finally know what a woman is,” replied Volesky, a three-star general and recipient of the Purple Heart.
BYPASS THE CENSORS
Sign up to get unfiltered news delivered straight to your inbox.
You can unsubscribe any time. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use
On Saturday, a US Army spokeswoman confirmed that “pending the outcome of the commander’s inquiry” the commanding general of the Combined Arms Center, Lt. Gen. Theodore Martin, “has suspended retired Lt. Gen. Gary Volesky from performing duties as a Highly Qualified Expert – Senior Mentor.”
The army did not reveal the exact reason for the inquiry. However, USA Today, which was first to report the incident, alleged Volesky’s statement may be considered a breach of decorum for a retired military officer who was on a $92-an-hour contract consulting the Pentagon.
The reply to Jill Biden’s tweet was not the first time that Volesky had posted about politics. In 2021, he responded to a tweet by Rep. Liz Cheney, about the investigation into the J6 Capitol attack.
“I’m honored to serve on the January 6th select committee. Our oath to the Constitution must be above partisan politics,” Cheney tweeted.
“This is all about partisan politics,” Volesky boomed back in response.
Volesky has not served as an active member of the military since his retirement at the rank of lieutenant general in February 2020.
He previously commanded I Corps from 2017 to 2020, and before that served as commander of the American ground forces in Iraq as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, receiving multiple awards and decorations, including a Silver Star and a Purple Heart.
