‘Sexually suggestive’ relationship ends career of Air Force Gen who ran air war

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The Air Force has fired one of its most senior generals after an investigation into whether he had an affair with a married female officer found that they had exchanged emails that were “sexually suggestive.”

Lt. Gen. John Hesterman was removed from his position as Air Force assistant vice chief of staff, service spokeswoman Anne Stefenek said Thursday. Hesterman previously served as the commander of Air Forces Central Command (AFCENT), leading the early days of the U.S. air war against the Islamic State militant group while deployed at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar from July 2013 to last June.

The investigation was launched after a complaint was lodged with the Air Force inspector general last August that Hesterman had carried on an unprofessional relationship and meddled inappropriately in the assignments of the woman’s husband, who himself also was an Air Force colonel. The husband alleged to the Air Force that a relationship dated back to at least 2007, when Hesterman was a married one-star general and commander of the 48th Fighter Wing, which flies F-15 jets out of England.

Hesterman, who could not be reached for comment Thursday night, also surprised people by saying at the ceremony when the husband was promoted to colonel that he had “married the girl we were all in love with,” the husband alleged.

In one email string dated late March and early April 2010, he and the woman, then a lieutenant colonel, exchanged a series of messages in which he called the woman “Gorgeous” and said he was visiting Hawaii before deploying to Qatar, where he served as the deputy commander of AFCENT from July 2010 to June 2011.

“In Waikiki for… spring break and last big trip before Qatar… thinking of you often here… we would love it… and you would be in perpetual trouble ;) xxx”

A few months later on Valentine’s Day weekend, Hesterman emailed her because of the holiday.

“My dear and so beautiful…. On this Valentine’s Day, please know I am thinking of you… I miss you and hope you are happy and well. Much Love, J.” Hesterman continued corresponding on April 4, 2011, calling her “my lovely Girl,” sprinkling in numerous emoticons and saying that he wanted to see her when he returned to Washington after his deployment.

“This place has been fascinating if a tad relentless, I’ve been at work every day but 3 in the last 9 months… I’ve at least gotten into very good shape, even a little a definition… you should check ;),” he wrote. “I’m really happy you’ll be living close by… I think of you more than you know (you get in trouble a lot:) I would so love to see you.”

Goldfein has launched an officer grade determination process that will decide whether Hesterman gets to retire as a three-star general or something less. The military often retires officers at the last rank at which they served satisfactorily.

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