Air Force General Convicted of Sexual Misconduct to Retire at Lower Rank

US Air Force General William Cooley, who was convicted of abusive sexual contact for forcing his sister-in-law to kiss him, will lose his rank on retiring and end his career as a colonel. Cooley became the first general in the 76-year history of the US air force to face a military trial. The decision to demote him comes after the Pentagon found military sexual assault reports increased about 1% during the last fiscal year. Protect Our Defenders, an organization which helped Cooley’s accuser press her case, said her success in holding accountable a high-ranking military leader was an “all too rare” outcome.