General officer accountability

BBC.com reports that: A senior Army officer who drunkenly touched and tried to kiss a woman in a karaoke bar has received a six-month suspended prison sentence.

Now ex-Major General James Roddis was part of an overseas delegation and had been drinking for several hours when he started touching the hair of the woman before kissing her on the lips.

Roddis, 53, was required to resign from the Army following the subsequent misconduct investigation and admitted disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind at a hearing in July.

Suspending the prison sentence for two years, the military board at a court martial in Bulford, Wiltshire, also ordered him to 30 days of rehabilitation, 150 hours unpaid work and to pay his victim £2,500 compensation.

Perhaps our British colleagues can advise on whether HRH will seek to "recall" the DSO and MBE?

In the U.S. a court-martial cannot impose a sentence of "rehabilitation," although some might argue that a sentence to "Extra Duty" might be similar or hours of "unpaid work." A U.S. court-martial impose restitution and cannot direct a suspended sentence.

An accused cannot be "required to resign." He can offer a resignation in lieu of court-martial which results in a discharge Under Other Than Honorable Conditions--but the charges are dismissed. Or the accused can take his chances on not being "Dismissed," a punitive discharge, which for officers is generally considered the equivalent of an enlisted person's Dishonorable Discharge.

You might also read or read Rachel VanLandingham's piece about general officers facing court-martial for sex-related offenses. Over the last few years, the USAF and Army have prosecuted general officers at court-martial for sex-related offenses.