WASHINGTON — Close observers of the Pentagon were stunned Nov. 12 when Secretary of Defense Ash Carter abruptly fired his senior military assistant, Army Lt. Gen. Ron Lewis, amid amidst allegations of misconduct.
In doing so, Carter acted swiftly in removing a potential problem for the last 14 months of his term. However, expercts warn, he also opened up a vital, if often unnoticed by the public, hole in his advisory team.
Lewis' desk was adjacent to Carter's office in the Pentagon's E-ring, and the general routinely accompanied Carter on his trips abroad. As senior military assistant, Lewis' job was to advise the Pentagon's top civilian leader on a range of issues related to policy, strategy and budgets.
"This is one of those very influential positions that never make headlines, by design, given their sheer access to and trust from the secretary — including his many trips and travel abroad," she said. "The military aide operates regularly in the secretary's public and private orbit."
"This is someone on whom the secretary relies upon for 'spot' analysis when he doesn't have time or is unable to reach the chiefs or chairmen," Eaglen said. "They offer input for all the services on occasion and just generally have the ear of the boss. They are also in sync with his habits, preferences and moods while being sensitive to his time — always within an arm's reach if needed."
Hence, it is going to be important for Carter to fill that role with someone he can trust implicitly to give him rapid-fire advice. Just who that replacement is, however, remains murky.
Carter's selection of Lewis was one of the first personnel moves the new secretary made when he assumed office. Lewis twice previously filled the role of military adviser to Carter, first when Carter was the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics in 2011, and then assumed the same role when Carter took over as deputy secretary of defense until Lewis redeployed to Afghanistan in early 2012.
Who can the secretary find to replace that level of personal relationship and trust?
A group of analysts and former Pentagon officials contacted by Defense News agreed there iswas no clear successor in mind, and expressed shock about the situation, as Lewis was largely seen as someone on the fact track to great things.
One source suggested Carter would go to the services and ask each to put up a nominee before interviewing and selecting his choice.
Another suggested that the choice would likely be a two-star general who is fleeted up to a three-star for the position, as opposed to an existing three-star officer. Several suggested keeping an eye on women two-stars, in particular.
Carter's inner circle has seen significant upheaval in just a few short months. Carter's first major personnel move in February was naming Eric Fanning as his chief of staff; by June, Fanning had been named acting secretary of the Army, a move that laid the groundwork for his formal nomination to lead that service in September.
Then last week, assistant to the secretary of defense for public affairs, Maura Sullivan, announced she was leaving that position for a spot with the Navy. Sullivan had been in her job for less than five months.
Andrew Tilghman from Military Times contributed to this report.
Aaron Mehta was deputy editor and senior Pentagon correspondent for Defense News, covering policy, strategy and acquisition at the highest levels of the Defense Department and its international partners.
