Ralston Seen Ending Joint Chiefs Bid

Senior Pentagon officials said Saturday they anticipate that Air Force Gen. Joseph W. Ralston, who became embroiled last week in controversy over an adulterous affair that ended nine years ago, will take his name out of the running for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Ralston, who was Defense Secretary William S. Cohen’s top choice for the job, has been traveling in central Asia and is due to return here today. While the general had intended to stay in the race for the chairman’s job and has not yet signaled a decision to withdraw, the officials said Ralston, who is now the vice chairman, probably will choose to avoid a fight.

“He’ll have to make his own assessment and give his recommendation to the secretary,” said a senior official who asked not to be named. “But it’s likely he’ll reach the conclusion that this is not a winnable fight.”

The prediction came as Cohen announced he had asked his legal advisors to review procedures for handling adultery cases amid charges by lawmakers and other critics of a double standard in the military justice system. Pentagon officials said the aim of the review was not to relax the prohibition against adultery but to clarify the circumstances under which it should be considered a crime.

“Recent perceptions that our system is inconsistent damage the morale of our troops,” Cohen said in a statement. “We must address these issues in a thorough, well-informed way that has credibility with the military, Congress and the public.”

Cohen made clear he did not want to change the language of the code on adultery, just examine the implementing guidelines. The Pentagon group he assigned to do this--the Joint Service Committee on Military Justice--is the one normally responsible for amending the code.

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Cohen also announced the creation of two panels. One, composed of civilian and military representatives, will review broader policy issues involving sexual relations in the military--among them procedures for investigating allegations of sexual misconduct made to telephone hotlines, which some officials worry have become too reckless.

“We need to find a proper balance between the accusers and the accused,” Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon told reporters.

The other panel established Saturday will study mixed-sex training and will be headed by former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum Baker (R-Kan.)

The measures were announced at an unusual Saturday afternoon news conference in response to the storm of criticism over a series of sexual-misconduct cases. The most recent was Cohen’s decision not to disqualify Ralston as a candidate for the Joint Chiefs’ chairmanship because of the adulterous affair, which occurred during two periods between 1984 and 1988 while he was separated from his first wife.

Cohen maintains that Ralston’s affair with a civilian did not damage military effectiveness or bring discredit on the Air Force. But the distinction has been lost on many who instead see a very high-ranking general receiving the benefit of the doubt because he is favored by the Defense secretary and other top Pentagon officials.

Ralston told Pentagon aides last week about the affair after news organizations asked about it. Cohen said Wednesday he had decided to “draw a line” on the Ralston case, but political support for the general has been weak, causing Pentagon officials to doubt Ralston could win Senate confirmation.

“It’s not a question of his fitness to serve, but a matter of getting there,” said a senior official. “I just don’t know who would carry the fight in the Senate. Members have indicated they have no stomach for waging this one.”

Among the candidates Cohen is said to be considering are Army Gen. John Tilelli, commander of U.S. forces in Korea; Army Gen. George Joulwan, due to step down this summer as top NATO commander; and Adm. Joseph Lopez, head of NATO’s southern command.