WASHINGTON — The Army has launched an investigation of the major general in charge of its forces in Africa for sending dozens of messages, some of them suggestive, to the wife of an enlisted soldier under his command, USA TODAY has learned.

The Facebook messages sent by Maj. Gen. Joseph Harrington range from flattering to flirty and suggestive and include a request to the woman that she delete them. Harrington is the two-star in charge of U.S. Army Africa and is based in Italy. The woman was born in Europe and is married to an American soldier.

An expert on military law who reviewed the texts said they seem in clear violation of military law, including conduct unbecoming an officer.

“With all the attention we have paid to improper relationships in the military, he just didn’t care,” said Don Christensen, a former chief prosecutor for the Air Force and president of Protect our Defenders, an advocacy group for victims of sexual assault in the military. “He should lose his command over this. It’s probably time for him to retire.”

Read the full story at USA Today.

Army general’s racy texts with subordinate’s wife prompt official probe (Photo: STAFF, AFP/Getty Images)

Army general’s racy texts with subordinate’s wife prompt official probe (Photo: STAFF, AFP/Getty Images)