General Loses Promotion Amid Harassment Scandal

A general accused by the Army’s highest-ranking woman of improper sexual conduct has lost the job promotion that brought the scandal to light, U.S. defense officials said Tuesday.

The Army named Maj. Gen. Joseph Inge to fill the position of deputy inspector general. The job originally was given to Maj. Gen. Larry Smith, who became embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal.

Secretary of the Army Louis Caldera said it was important to have someone in that job who was not tainted by even the perception of not being above reproach.

The selection of Inge was announced after the Army inspector general concluded that Lt. Gen. Claudia Kennedy, the first woman to earn three stars, was the victim of improper sexual advances by Smith for allegedly touching her in a sexual manner and trying to kiss her in her Pentagon office in 1996.

Kennedy who did not file a complaint when the alleged incident occurred, came forward with the accusation after Smith was appointed deputy inspector general, a position responsible for investigating accusations of sexual harassment, news reports have said.

Since his promotion was put on hold, Smith has worked as a special assistant to the commander of Army Materiel Command, while the Army inspector general investigated Kennedy’s accusation. Smith has been given an opportunity to respond to that. The case remains open.

Smith could continue his Army career if he ultimately is exonerated, but it appears more likely that the decision to rescind his move to the deputy inspector general’s post will hasten his retirement, officials said.

The Army has never confirmed publicly that it is investigating Smith, or that Kennedy lodged a complaint. So it found itself in an odd position when asked why Smith had lost his announced assignment.

“He is unavailable to fill the position,” spokeswoman Elaine Kanellis said.

Neither Smith nor Kennedy has discussed the matter publicly, and neither responded to telephone inquiries Tuesday.

Inge, 52, has been commanding general of U.S. Army Japan/9th Theater Army Area Command for the last two years. He is expected to take the new assignment next month.

A native of Chase City, Va., Inge holds a master of arts in personnel management from Central Michigan University. From July 1996 to July 1998 he was deputy commandant of the Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.

Kennedy, 52, the Army’s deputy chief of staff for intelligence, is due to retire this summer. President Clinton last week nominated Maj. Gen. Robert W. Noonan to take Kennedy’s slot. Noonan is commander of the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command at Ft. Belvoir, Va.