Air Force general loses 2 stars after sex investigation

Retired Air Force Gen. Arthur J. Lichte was demoted in rank after an investigation revealed he engaged in inappropriate sexual acts with a subordinate.

The 4-star general was lowered to 2 stars or the rank of major general.

He retired from the Air Force in 2010, after more than 38 years of service. He was never stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He did serve at the Pentagon and at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

He served as assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force from 2005-07.

The incidents under investigation happened while he was commander of the Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.

An investigation was initiated in 2016, after a female officer went to a sexual assault response coordinator. Due to her privacy considerations, the Air Force will not release the victim’s name.

The investigation revealed the general engaged in inappropriate sexual acts with a subordinate female officer twice in 2007, while serving as a lieutenant general as the Air Force’s assistant vice chief of staff and Air Staff director in the Pentagon.

According to a news release from the Air Force, “the investigation revealed that sometime during the first half of 2009, while serving as AMC commander as a general, Lichte engaged in inappropriate sexual acts with the same female officer, who was in his command. The investigation did not uncover any additional misconduct.”

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