Latest Army Scandal Is a Three-Star Embarrassment

The U.S. Army has suffered humiliation over its testosterone-laden atmosphere before, but a new claim of sexual harassment could have repercussions that surpass mere embarrassment. On Thursday, the Pentagon confirmed that Lt. General Claudia Kennedy, the Army's highest-ranking female officer — and an oft-touted example of how the military has become more accommodating to women — filed a formal sexual harassment complaint against a fellow officer late last year. Kennedy charges that the aggressor, who was also a major general at the time of the alleged incident, fondled her in her office in 1996. Although she complained informally to her superiors after the incident allegedly occurred, and was reportedly satisfied with their response, Kennedy decided to file a formal complaint after the officer, who has not been named, was either promoted or given a much-coveted posting. (Due to the anonymity of the accused man, it is unclear what changes were made.)

"I think General Kennedy hoped the initial complaint would have ended the other officer's career," says TIME Washington correspondent Mark Thompson. "She may have felt these accusations were handled with inadequate severity." Now that Kennedy's charge is official, the Army will have to deal with the crushing public relations fallout from this case. Handling this situation diplomatically will be a challenge, in part because General Kennedy commands extraordinary respect within the military community, says Thompson, and also because the accusation threatens to undermine the Army's still-embryonic attempts to promote its "zero tolerance" policy toward sexual harassment. Kennedy, who plans to retire later this year, may be seeking assurances that her successors won't have to deal with the same atmosphere she weathered during her career. Or she may simply want answers to the same question many in the military are asking, says Thompson. How did the alleged instigator of this harassment manage to continue merrily on his career path after his superiors were made aware of his actions?