Army Maj. Gen. Joseph Harrington, in charge of U.S. Army Africa, is under investigation for sending suggestive texts to his subordinate’s wife.
The investigation focuses on dozens of messages Harrington sent to the woman, some of which are flattering and some of which are flirty or suggestive, USA Today reports.
The messages, according to an expert in military law, seem to clearly qualify as conduct unbecoming an officer.
“With all the attention we have paid to improper relationships in the military, he just didn’t care,” Don Christensen, a former Air Force chief prosecutor, told USA Today. “He should lose his command over this. It’s probably time for him to retire.”
Following USA Today’s report on the text messages, the Army inspector general announced it was launching a probe into the matter.
The woman who received the messages from Harrington told USA Today that contact between the two first began as nothing more than friendly messages, but that they soon became suggestive. She insists that the relationship was never physical.
In one of the texts, Harrington called her “HOTTIE” and added “looking good for sure.” And also at other times, he said, “Where is your hubby tonight? Work?”
“U can be my nurse,” he said on another occasion, following up with: “I’d enjoy being in a tent with U.”
The most damning part, however, is that Harrington states in the texts themselves that their relationship is not appropriate.
“I don’t think your husband would be happy if he knew you chatted with another man,” he said at one point.
Later, Harrington asked her to delete texts between them.
While Harrington’s activities follow on the heels of a long string of high-ranking generals who have been caught in various sex or relationship-related misconduct, they differ from cases like Army Maj. Gen. David Haight, who was involved in swapping sexual partners for 11 years, Army Lt. Gen. Ron Lewis, who visited strip clubs during official travel or Navy Rear Adm. Bruce Loveless, who was indicted for cavorting with prostitutes.
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