General Who Planned Gulf Air War Given Strong Reprimand

Lt. Gen. Buster Glosson, the architect of the Persian Gulf air war, was reprimanded Friday for improperly interfering with the promotion of a lower-ranking general.

The action by Air Force Secretary Sheila Widnall against the three-star general is considered a career-ending move.

He had been a prominent figure in the Air Force and was considered by many as a solid candidate for advancement to the highest ranks of the Pentagon.

“Glosson attempted to improperly influence officers who were selected to serve on a promotion board,” said a statement issued late Friday by the Air Force.

Glosson, a former fighter pilot, holds one of the service’s top positions as the deputy chief of staff for plans and operations.

No statement from the general was immediately available.

The Air Force said that Glosson had improperly communicated with three members of a major general promotion board. “This communication called into question the integrity of a promotion candidate,” the statement said.

The three generals on the board notified higher authorities in the service about the contact with Glosson and they were excused from participating.

An investigation into the matter was conducted by the office of the Air Force inspector general and the inspector general for the Pentagon, the statement said.

Outside contact of promotion board members is strictly prohibited, since officers are supposed to consider their decisions based solely on the military record before them.

By issuing a formal letter of admonishment, Widnall chose not to take harsher action that could have meant a reduction in rank and forced retirement for the general.

In 1991, Congress criticized the Air Force for irregularities in promotion boards and demanded that the service change its procedures. In her statement, Widnall indicated that such changes had uncovered Glosson’s actions.

Military sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Glosson had told the three generals that Air Force Chief of Staff Merrill McPeak did not want a certain officer promoted.

However, investigators found that McPeak made no such statement, the sources said.