General William Ward Demoted For Lavish Spending
General William “Kip” Ward, the head of U.S. Africa Command, was demoted today by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
According to ABC News, Ward was accused of using military funds on lavish travel and other unnecessary expenses. Ward was stripped of a star and will now retire as a three-star lietenant general. Ward has also been fined $82,000.
The demoted general will also see his annual pay decrease by about $30,000. As a four star general, Ward would have made about $236,000 a year after retirement. He will now make $208,000.
A report by the Defense Department Inspector General found that Ward allowed his wife to use military vehicles for shopping trips. Ward also allegedly used military funds to put his family up in lavish hotels. Ward is also accused of extending his overseas trips for personal reasons at the expense of the military and for using his connections to get his wife backstage Broadway tickets to meet Denzel Washington.
General William Ward was the military’s first commander of Africa Command and has been serving in the military since 1971. He has done oversea tours in in Korea, Egypt, Somalia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, and Germany as well as several tours in the United States.
The General’s demotion comes just a few days after news broke about General David Petraeus’ affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell. Yahoo notes that Marine Gen. John Allen is also being investigated for improper communications with Jill Kelley, the woman who reported the Petraeus affair.
Tags : Four Star General, general demoted, general kip ward, General William Ward, kip ward, william ward
Posted: November 13, 2012
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Nov 13, 2012
Its about time the axe started falling. Shows these people their not Gods.
Nov 13, 2012
That is part of the Clinton Crowd.
Nov 13, 2012
Wow, Generals gone bad on DVD, and Netflix!
Nov 13, 2012
He must be a democrat!
Nov 13, 2012
Norbert 1971 he joined not 1992 and he was promoted to 4 stars by the Bush admin shame you hate dems so much you lie about it ! @David if you look it up you will find General Ward is a republican but why does that matter in the first place ?
Nov 13, 2012
If that was an enlisted lower ranking service member….that would have been a court martial and bad conduct discharge with brig time…
Nov 13, 2012
Wow! What an insult to the many fine people in uniform. This type of nonsense should be punished. I agree with his demotion. Leadership should be by example.
Nov 13, 2012
Lavish spending! They need to look right at the White House for that, specifically bho…..Whatever expenses bho and his family occurred whilst traveling to foreign countries certainly hasn't helped the economy or foreign affairs. bho's first four years is "proof in the pudding"….."We the People" must look beyond governmental accusations and focus on the death and tortures of four Americans in Benghazi…"The buck stops at the top!"
Nov 13, 2012
about time someone is held responsible for lavish spending! obama and his wife certainly have not curtailed their lavish trips and spending and taking care of their family and friends at the gov expense!
Nov 13, 2012
Doesn't embezzlement get you fired? The loss of a star is hardly the punishment for stealing from your employer. In the real world, this tool would be fired and his pension would go up in a puff of smoke. So, why the slap on the wrist and not the full punishment that you and I, and every other mere mortal would get?
Nov 13, 2012
Not enough! He should have been demoted OUT of the general officer ranks! In the past three months we've had a brigadier accused of sodomy and abusing his power over three captains and a major (Who also need to be punished for CONDUCT UNBECOMING AN OFFICER!); another four-star is on the chopping block for adultry and a three-star Marine general is being investigated for poor judgement.
DISCIPLINE has declined in the military and SEVERE punishments needs to be dealt out to the senior leaders–setting the example! If the generals are acting like this–what is going on in the enlised ranks?
IF they don't ACT like GENERALS–then they should be DEMOTED OUT OF THE GENERAL RANKS!
Nov 13, 2012
Mitt Romney , would push all this garbage under the rug. all this so called" Generals" SHOULD BE COURT MARTIALED. NO PENSION WHATSOEVER, CROOKS.
Nov 13, 2012
This guy is just doing what he has seen BO and Michelle do for 4 yrs. Can you imagine the trips that the BO's will take in the next 4 yrs, now that he will not have to stand for re-election. The girls will be repeating the Spring Break trips, with all their friends, like the Mexico trip this yr.
Nov 13, 2012
BULLSHIT!!!!!!
Nov 13, 2012
EdJPirelli, They are NOT gods, but are treated as UNTOUCHABLES. They should be COURT MARTIALED.
now they can work for BAIN CAPITAL .
Nov 13, 2012
this is perfect! Obama has found a way to get rid of all our generals. Middle east will surely see this as sign of weakness and start up stronger than before. Great time for Obama to implement "Plan B", Martial Law. I knew the democrats would figure out a way to get us to the "New World Order" faster.
Nov 13, 2012
I totally agree with Jeffrey When top officers in the military are found abusing their positions, they literally get a slap on the hand. When enlisted members commit any type of offense, they throw the book at them!
Nov 13, 2012
no, no, no, demote him to e-1, and take everything from him he ever owned and give it to orphans and widows, then throw him in fort leavenworth forever.
Nov 18, 2012
But he will draw Obama's Food Stamps.