Brig. Gen. Sinclair to retire as lieutenant colonel

Brig. Gen. Jeffrey A. Sinclair

Under U.S. law, military personnel are retired in the highest grade in which they have served satisfactorily for at least six months. The Associated Press reports that Brigadier General Jeffrey A. Sinclair, convicted earlier this year in a closely-watched general court-martial, is being retired in the grade of Lieutenant Colonel, based on his misconduct as a colonel and brigadier general. According to the AP:

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said the reduction in retirement rank was the right thing to do.

But, she added, it “doesn’t make the outcome more satisfactory. This case illustrated a military justice system in dire need of independence from the chain of command. It’s not only the right thing to do for our men and women in uniform, but would also mitigate issues of unlawful command influence that we have seen in many trials over the last year.”