This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/23/us/army-reprimanded-general-involved-in-isis-fight.html
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Army Reprimanded General Involved in ISIS Fight | Army Reprimanded General Involved in ISIS Fight |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — The Army has reprimanded a once highly regarded general involved in the war against the Islamic State because he guided a defense contract to a company run by his former classmates at West Point, a move that effectively ends his military career, military officials said Monday. | |
| Maj. Gen. Dana J. H. Pittard, the Army’s former deputy commander for operations in the Middle East, was formally reprimanded in February after an investigation, “which called into question his suitability for continued services and resulted in his request for retirement,” Cynthia Smith, an Army spokeswoman, said in an email. | |
| An Army review board is considering whether he will be stripped of his rank as a two-star general before he is allowed to retire, Ms. Smith said. | An Army review board is considering whether he will be stripped of his rank as a two-star general before he is allowed to retire, Ms. Smith said. |
| The reprimand is a huge dent in the career of a general once believed to represent the future of the Army. A former military assistant to President Bill Clinton, General Pittard had years of combat experience in Iraq and was long viewed as someone who could rise to the level of Army chief of staff. | The reprimand is a huge dent in the career of a general once believed to represent the future of the Army. A former military assistant to President Bill Clinton, General Pittard had years of combat experience in Iraq and was long viewed as someone who could rise to the level of Army chief of staff. |
| From July 2013 to April 2015, General Pittard was the deputy commanding general for Army Central, based in the Middle East. He returned to the United States in April after the reprimand, which was first reported by The Washington Post. | |
| The Post, citing documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, said the investigation into General Pittard began in 2011 after an anonymous whistle-blower alleged that he had abused his authority by awarding lucrative renewable-energy contracts to his friends while serving as the commander of Fort Bliss in Texas. | |
| One of General Pittard’s former West Point classmates was convicted on wire-fraud charges in September, and while General Pittard was not accused of financial gain, he was reprimanded for his “excessive involvement” in awarding the $492,000 contract. | One of General Pittard’s former West Point classmates was convicted on wire-fraud charges in September, and while General Pittard was not accused of financial gain, he was reprimanded for his “excessive involvement” in awarding the $492,000 contract. |
| Ms. Smith, the Army spokeswoman, said General Pittard had been removed from his position in the Middle East as part of a normal rotation and not because of the misconduct. | |
| General Pittard is now serving as special assistant to the commanding general at the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, where he will remain until the secretary of the Army decides on his retirement request and whether to strip him of his rank. | General Pittard is now serving as special assistant to the commanding general at the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command, where he will remain until the secretary of the Army decides on his retirement request and whether to strip him of his rank. |