{"id":39011,"date":"2021-01-08T23:35:03","date_gmt":"2021-01-08T23:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/01\/08\/sex-with-subordinate-inappropriate-relationships-cost-fired-warfare-center-commander-two-stars\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:11:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:11:23","slug":"sex-with-subordinate-inappropriate-relationships-cost-fired-warfare-center-commander-two-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2021\/01\/08\/sex-with-subordinate-inappropriate-relationships-cost-fired-warfare-center-commander-two-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"Sex with subordinate, inappropriate relationships cost fired warfare center commander two stars"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The two-star general<\/a> who was fired from command of the Air Force Warfare Center<\/a> in 2019 has retired as a colonel after an investigation found he had a sexual relationship with a female subordinate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maj. Gen. Peter Gersten also engaged in inappropriate personal relationships with two other women over a decade, the inspector general investigation found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said that Gersten received an Article 15 punishment, and retired Jan. 1 at a reduced rank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Former Air Combat Command head Gen. Mike Holmes relieved Gersten of command in person at the Air Force\u2019s Corona meeting of top generals at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida on June 2, 2019. Afterwards, Gersten admitted the relationship, the report said. When he returned to the Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada<\/a>, five days later to say goodbye to senior staff, he again acknowledged, \u201cI made a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the IG investigation, which was completed in September 2019 and released to Air Force Times on Friday, Gersten improperly had sex with a female subordinate officer in 2018, while he was still married.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Gersten and his then-wife were living apart and in the process of separating, they were still married during several months of Gersten\u2019s relationship with his girlfriend, which violated the Uniform Code of Military Justice\u2019s prohibition against adultery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though they tried to keep this relationship secret, it soon became common knowledge at Nellis \u2014 and then the rumors spread through the Air Force and Defense Department, the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaj. Gen. Gersten\u2019s notoriety for being the general officer who slept with his [redacted] brought discredit upon the Air Force,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Between October 2010 and June 2019, Gersten engaged in inappropriate relationships with several women, the IG found, and intended \u201cto act indecorously and indecently\u201d with them. Gersten was married during most of that period, the IG said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Witnesses described Gersten as \u201cpersonable, charming, sensitive to women\u2019s issues, and one who frequently hugged or patted subordinates about the shoulders,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But his marital status was uncertain and said to be a \u201ctouchy subject\u201d during his tenure as commander of the Warfare Center, which began in July 2017, the report said. He and his wife divorced in December 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The female officer told other staff at the Warfare Center, family members and a local friend about her relationship with Gersten, the report said, and later told the Office of Special Investigations about their relationship in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She told investigators that her relationship with Gersten became flirtatious in May 2018. She told investigators she wanted their relationship to go further, but understood it could not. Still, she stressed that the relationship was consensual and positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their sexual relationship began in a distinguished visitor suite at Nellis one evening in July 2018. Following a visit from the commander of the Colombian air force, she texted him \u201cDV One. Cum on over.\u201d They had multiple more encounters in his on-base quarters and her off-base home, among other locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gersten and the female officer who was his girlfriend also texted each other nude and partially nude photographs of themselves. They also sent multiple flirtatious text messages planning their encounters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But witnesses told investigators that it became increasingly obvious that something was going on between them, and rumors spread about their \u201csexting.\u201d One witness observed the sexting and said his girlfriend used code words to describe Gersten, such as \u201cbig daddy,\u201d and saw some of the nude and revealing images exchanged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another witness reported seeing the two flirting, and once also saw the woman \u2014 while intoxicated during an event hosted at Gersten\u2019s home \u2014 make a sexually suggestive remark to Gersten. The witness warned Gersten afterwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their relationship began to degrade good order and discipline at the Warfare Center, the report said. Before he arrived at the Warfare Center, the female officer was \u201cthriving and eager to learn,\u201d witnesses said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But after their relationship started, witnesses said her performance took a nosedive. She began acting \u201cbuddy-buddy\u201d with colonels who outranked her, as if they were peers, witnesses said, and her professionalism went from \u201clackadaisical to non-existent.\u201d She began acting aggressively to the staff and behaved as if she had more authority than she actually did.<\/p>\n\n\n\t