Former Utah National Guard commander retiring with sizable rank demotion

SALT LAKE CITY — The former adjutant general of the Utah National Guard — who was placed on administrative leave two years ago following allegations of "an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate" — is retiring with a sizable rank demotion.

Former Maj. Gen. Michael J. Turley has retired as a lieutenant colonel — a U.S. Army officer's rank three steps below his highest military rank, according to a Task & Purpose report.

"An Army Inspector General investigation substantiated the allegation that Maj. Gen. Michael J. Turley engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate," said Army spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith. "He will retire as a lieutenant colonel, which was determined the last grade in which he honorably served. We consider this matter closed."

Turley is retiring at the lower rank following an assessment by the Army Grade Determination Review Board, Keith Garner, deputy director of public affairs for the Utah National Guard, told Task & Purpose.

On Aug. 17, 2023, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued a statement that Turley had been placed on administrative leave from his command position of the Utah National Guard because he was under investigation by the Department of the Army Inspector General.

In a statement provided to Military Times days later, Turley denied "any improper relationship."

In 2023, Cox was asked if he knew about the ongoing investigation before Turley was placed on leave. Cox said he became aware of the investigation in 2022 but the Army Inspector General would not share ongoing details, so he "was left with insufficient evidence to substantiate the allegations," according to KSL-TV.

Turley became adjutant general of the Utah National Guard on Nov. 7, 2019, assuming command of 7,600 soldiers and employees.

Just a week before being placed on administrative leave — on Aug. 9, 2023 – Turley joined local leaders in greeting President Joe Biden as he arrived at the Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base in Utah.

And earlier that same year, then-Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, chose Turley as his featured guest at Biden's State of the Union Address. Romney's office said he was unaware Turley was under a long-running investigation at the time, USA Today reported.

Cox appointed Brig. Gen. Daniel Boyack as the new adjutant general of the Utah National Guard — a position he still holds under the rank of major general.

A rare — but not unheard of — retirement demotion

When officers are demoted, it is customary that defense officials announce their ranks have been lowered to the last grade that they served honorably or satisfactorily, according to Task & Purpose.

This practice is typically used in cases in which service members try to retire and facts and evidence of misconduct earlier in their careers come to light, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Rachel VanLandingham, a former military attorney, told Task & Purpose.

"Their misconduct, then, taints everything they did afterward," said VanLandingham, a law professor at Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles.

Such demotions are rare but not unheard of, she said.

"It allows for the Pentagon to say: 'Hey, look, you don't deserve to have this rank in perpetuity in retirement, and you don't deserve the pay,'" VanLandingham said. "It's a huge pay cut for the rest of your life in your pension because you did not honorably serve."

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