Air Force charges 2-star general with sexual assault, other crimes

The Air Force announced Wednesday it has officially charged Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart, the provider’s former pilot coaching boss, with sexual attack, dereliction of responsibility and a couple of other crimes beneath the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

In all, the two-star general faces two counts of sexual attack beneath Article 120 of army legislation; two counts of dereliction of responsibility beneath Article 92; one depend of habits unbecoming of an officer beneath Article 133; and one depend of extramarital sexual habits beneath Article 134, in keeping with a in part redacted rate sheet bought through Air Force Times. Air University boss Lt. Gen. Andrea Tullos filed the charges Sept. 21.

Stewart allegedly inserted his penis into a lady’s vulva and mouth with out her consent on a couple of events whilst visiting Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, in mid-April, in keeping with the rate sheet.

During the similar travel, Stewart allegedly violated Air Force regulations through piloting an unnamed airplane not up to 12 hours after eating alcohol. Altus is a coaching hub for pilots, refueling increase operators, maintainers and other aircrew around the mobility endeavor.

Stewart may be accused of inviting any person to spend the evening on my own with him in his personal resort room whilst on reliable shuttle to Colorado in March, having intercourse with any person other than his partner in Oklahoma in April and pursuing an unprofessional courting from March 6-May 9, in keeping with the rate sheet.

The Air Force will believe whether or not there’s sufficient proof to start out a court-martial at a initial Article 32 listening to — the army identical of a grand jury continuing — on Oct. 24 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.

If the case heads to trial, Stewart faces a minimal sentence of dismissal or dishonorable discharge, or as much as 66 years in confinement and forfeiture of pay. He is presumed blameless till discovered accountable.

Air Education and Training Command boss Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson fired Stewart from his post as nineteenth Air Force commander in May because of a “loss of confidence in his ability to lead” after not up to a 12 months within the position. Stewart oversaw 32,000 team of workers and 1,530 airplane whilst managing the provider’s pilot coaching endeavor from JBSA-Randolph.

He used to be reassigned to a workforce place at Air Education and Training Command headquarters in San Antonio, Air Force spokesperson Capt. Scarlett Trujillo advised Air Force Times in an e mail.

The former commander has gathered greater than 2,600 flying hours in different fighter, particular operations, intelligence and instructor airplane and flown greater than 168 fight missions since commissioning as an F-15C pilot in 1992, in keeping with his official biography. He has won a Bronze Star Medal, the Legion of Merit and the Defense Superior Service Medal.

Before taking up at nineteenth Air Force in August 2022, Stewart headed NATO’s effort to coach the Afghan air power and served because the Air Force’s best air adviser in Afghanistan. He held a couple of coverage and workforce jobs at the Pentagon’s Joint Staff and with army instructions in Europe, and led the ninth Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base, California.

General officials infrequently face prosecution during the army prison gadget. Wednesday’s announcement marks the second one time an Air Force general officer has been charged with a sexual crime. The first, Maj. Gen. Bill Cooley, the previous commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, retired as a colonel in June after being convicted of abusive sexual habits for forcibly kissing his brother’s spouse. He has lodged a criticism with the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.

In 1992, Maj. Gen. Donald Kaufman used to be arraigned as a part of a court-martial, however his case used to be pushed aside and not went to a jury, Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek in the past advised Air Force Times. Kaufman, who confronted allegations of taking enemy AK-47 attack rifles as trophies from the Gulf War, used to be demoted to the rank of colonel and retired.