10 August 2005

That's a Relief!

Yes, I know, the title is wonderful.

An Army general has been relieved of command! It's a quagmire! Oh, wait... He was in charge of training and doctrine?

WASHINGTON — The Army said Tuesday it relieved a four-star general of his command after an investigation into unspecified "personal conduct."

Gen. Kevin P. Byrnes was relieved as commander of U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command on Monday by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker, according to a brief statement issued by Army headquarters at the Pentagon.

Although disciplinary action against general officers is not uncommon, it is extremely rare for a four-star general to be relieved of command.

He had held the position as commander of Training and Doctrine Command since November 2002. Before that he was director of the Army staff at Army headquarters in the Pentagon.

If this develops into something interesting, I'll keep you abreast of it. Otherwise, it sounds like some general was screwing around with his secretary or something. My guess is that this has little to do with the Army, and more to do with this guy's personal life.

UPDATE: Who called it?

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In an extraordinary move, the Army sacked a four-star general who was the subject of a Defense Department investigation into alleged sexual misconduct, officials said Tuesday.

Gen. Kevin P. Byrnes, commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command, was approaching retirement when the decision to relieve him of duty was made by the Army chief of staff, Gen. Peter Schoomaker.

The Army announced no specific allegation against Byrnes, but a senior official said it involved unspecified sexual misconduct. The official spoke only on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the allegation.

If I had to guess, (which I don't have to do, but that's why you're reading this in the first place) I'd say that the general probably had a sexual relationship with someone he wasn't supposed to have one with; possibly a senior enlisted soldier, or a fellow officer whose rank didn't come within the required proximity to his own. I think it's doubtful that he was gay; it's possible that he made unwelcome advances to some woman, but I'd say it's doubtful.

Anyway.

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