Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has demoted the former head of U.S. Africa Command who was accused of spending thousands of dollars on lavish travel and other unauthorized expenses, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
Panetta stripped Gen. William "Kip" Ward of a star, which means that he will now retire as a three-star lieutenant general. Ward also has been ordered to repay the government $82,000.
Secretary
of the Army John McHugh concurred with Panetta's decision, Pentagon
press secretary George Little said in a statement Tuesday.
The demotion came after retired Army Gen. David Petraeus
resigned as CIA director because of an extramarital affair and Marine
Gen. John Allen was being investigated for potentially improper
communications with a woman.
"Secretary Panetta
insists that leaders within the Department of Defense exemplify both
professional excellence and sound judgment," Little said. "The secretary
is committed to ensuring that any improprieties or misconduct by senior
officers are dealt with swiftly and appropriately."
A
spokesman for Ward said Tuesday that the general "has never been
motivated by personal gain and fulfilled each and every mission assigned
to him and served his country and the men and women assigned to his
commands with distinction."
"While
Gen. Ward is not perfect he has always been guided by his faith in God
and the belief that there is no greater honor as a patriot than to lead
those who choose to serve our nation in the armed forces," spokesman
Chris Garrett said in a statement.
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