The U.S. Army’s top spokeswoman has been suspended from her position pending an investigation.
Brig. Gen. Amy E. Johnston, who assumed the duties of chief of public affairs in April 2019, was “suspended and placed on special duty pending the outcome of an Army investigation,” Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith said in a statement to the Washington Examiner on Thursday.
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“Given that the investigation is ongoing” the Army is choosing to provide no additional details, she added, though a source familiar told the Military Times that her suspension had to do with a recent command climate survey which revealed overwhelming dissatisfaction within the Office of the Chief of Public Affairs. It’s also unclear when the investigation will conclude.
Ninety-seven percent of the survey respondents reported “workplace hostility,” while only 8% of the soldier and civilian employees said they experience “high” levels of morale, while just over a quarter, 26%, said they experience moderate morale. The survey, parts of which were obtained by the Military Times, also noted that factors such as being overworked, having an imbalanced work-home dynamic, and ambiguous product expectations, all contributed to those sentiments.
Additionally, 21% of respondents said sexual harassment was present in the office, while 26% said the same about racial harassment.
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Johnston “is responsible for all communication activities involving the United States Army, including the professional development of military and civilian public affairs personnel,” according to her bio page.
