Army Demotes Major General Over Sexual Misconduct

A major general was demoted to colonel for sexual misconduct with the wives of two subordinate officers and an enlisted soldier, the Army said in Washington. Maj. Gen. John J. Maher III, 51, who until October was vice director of operations with the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, was demoted two ranks and will retire from his 29-year career with his annual pension cut from $77,000 to $59,000, the Army said. He was also fined $8,600. Army officials said the sexual misconduct occurred over the last eight years. In that time, he also served in Hawaii, Georgia and Washington state.