Army May Cut Pay of Officer Forced to Quit

The Army is reconsidering whether a retired two-star general who admitted having sex with the wives of four subordinates should be allowed to keep his high rank and his full pension of more than $6,000 a month, officials said Wednesday.

Retired Maj. Gen. David Hale was reprimanded and fined after a court-martial in March, but he escaped a possible 11-year term in a military prison.

Army Secretary Louis Caldera said Wednesday he is convening a special panel to review Hale’s case and recommend whether Hale should retire as a two-star major general or the lower-ranking one-star brigadier general. Hale stands to lose up to $750 a month in retirement pay if his rank is reduced.

Hale’s attorney, Frank Spinner, did not immediately return a message left at his office.

Hale was the highest-ranking Army officer to face court-martial since 1952. His case led to allegations of a double standard for dealing with sexual misconduct when it comes to officers.

Hale was allowed to retire with honor last year despite claims of improprieties he committed while he was a top NATO commander in southern Europe. Subsequent criticism led the Pentagon to change its rules to bar top officers from retiring while facing allegations of wrongdoing.

Hale was convicted of seven counts of conduct unbecoming an officer and one count of lying to investigators. He was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and forfeit $12,000 of his $75,744 annual pension for one year.