Brigadier General Jeffery Sinclair, a deputy commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, has been charged with forcible sodomy, inappropriate relationships, and possessing alcohol and pornography while on duty in Afghanistan. He was sent home in May in the middle of his combat tour Click below to read more.
An Army brigadier general has been charged with forcible sodomy, inappropriate relationships, and possessing alcohol and pornography while serving as a senior commander in Afghanistan earlier this year.
Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair, a deputy commanding general of the 82 nd Airborne Division, faces a possible court martial over the charges handed down Wednesday.
In May, Sinclair was sent home to the United States in the middle of his combat tour in Afghanistan, where he was serving in the southern Afghanistan province of Kandahar as the deputy commander of logistics and support for the 82 nd Airborne.
Sinclair was sent to the division’s home base of Fort Bragg, N.C., so allegations of potential misconduct could be investigated. At the time of his return, base spokesmen confirmed that Sinclair was under criminal investigation.
A news release by the Fort Bragg Public Affairs Office listed the charges presented against Sinclair as including “forcible sodomy, wrongful sexual conduct, attempted violation of an order, violations of regulations by wrongfully engaging in inappropriate relationships and misusing a government travel charge card, violating general orders by possessing alcohol and pornography while deployed, maltreatment of subordinates, filing fraudulent claims, engaging in conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman and engaging in conduct prejudicial to good order and discipline, or of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces.”
Few specifics about the allegations against Sinclair were released Wednesday, but a Defense Department official said “several women were the subject of Sinclair’s alleged misconduct.”
A former U.S. official who worked with Sinclair during his deployment in Kandahar said he and other officials who knew Sinclair were shocked by the news of the charges. He described Sinclair as being “very proactive” and a “gregarious individual.”
Sinclair remains at Fort Bragg, where he has been serving in a placeholder position as a special assistant to the commanding general of the 18 th Airborne Corps. A Defense Department official said Sinclair was read the charges against him on Monday. Another official added that Sinclair is not under detention at the base.
