|
General Disobeyed Orders to End Affair, Officials Say
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 - A four-star general relieved of his command this week for adultery was ordered last January to break off the affair but continued to have contact with the woman, two senior Army officials said on Friday.A major reason the general, Kevin P. Byrnes, was dismissed as head of the Army Training and Doctrine Command was that the inspector general found that he had violated the direct order from the Army chief of staff, Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the case is still being adjudicated. Army officials disclosed the details of the inspector general's inquiry to explain the unusual decision to relieve a four-star officer with a distinguished record. The order to break off contact with the woman, whose identity has not been made public, came after the inspector general began an inquiry into an accusation that General Byrnes was involved in an adulterous affair, the officials said. General Schoomaker told him to cease contacts with the woman until the inspector general completed the inquiry, the officials said. But the inspector general later found that General Byrnes continued to make telephone calls to her, although the officials would not say if the contacts went beyond calls. "He was told to knock it off, and he ignored it and continued the affair," a senior Army official said.
The Army officials also disclosed that another senior officer, Gen. Dan K. McNeill, has been appointed to determine if any additional action should be taken against General Byrnes. Possible penalties range from a reprimand to a court-martial. General Byrnes faces uncertainty over whether his rank will be reduced to major general, with a resulting loss of retirement benefits. The Army's Manual on Court Martial describes adultery as "unacceptable conduct," and Army officials say that it is barred under a provision of the Uniform Code of Military Justice that prohibits bringing discredit on the military. General Byrnes separated from his wife, Carol, in mid-2004, but the couple did not divorce until earlier this month. A lawyer for General Byrnes, Lt. Col. David H. Robertson, said Wednesday that the general had been relieved because of an accusation about "a consensual, adult relationship." The statement said the person was a female civilian. Posted by: Steve White 2005-08-13 |
|
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=126668 |