In a precedent-setting court-martial, Air Force Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart has been sentenced to a reprimand, restriction, and forfeiture of pay, as announced by Air Education and Training Command on June 29. Being the first general in Air Force history to face a court-martial by jury, Stewart was found guilty on charges related to conduct unbecoming an officer and dereliction of duty.

The charges against Stewart include inviting a subordinate to spend the night with him, which was deemed conduct unbecoming an officer under Article 133 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Additionally, he was found guilty of controlling an aircraft within 12 hours after consuming alcohol, a count of dereliction of duty under Article 92.

However, the military panel acquitted Stewart of two counts of Article 120, which forbids sexual assault. In order to secure a conviction, six of the eight members had to vote in favor of finding Stewart guilty on any charge.

Earlier in the week, Stewart had already pleaded guilty to pursuing an unprofessional relationship and engaging in an extramarital affair. These admissions could have resulted in severe punishments, such as a bad-conduct discharge and confinement of up to six months.

The sentencing handed down to Stewart includes a reprimand, a two-month restriction to Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas, and a $10,000 forfeiture of pay per month for six months. This punishment fell short of the maximum penalties Stewart could have faced had he been convicted of all charges.

Legal experts have criticized the verdict, considering the punishment to be relatively mild. Some even anticipate that Stewart will face demotion to the rank of brigadier general when he retires.

While the guilty verdict on the sexual assault charges was not reached, the trial has shed a light on the need for careful and respectful handling of allegations of sexual assault within the Armed Forces. Stewart's defense counsel, Sherilyn A. Bunn, highlighted the value of the panel system and Stewart's consistent assertion of innocence throughout the proceedings.

The court-martial began on June 17 and included the selection of the panel, comprising more than 13 general officers who outranked Stewart or had pinned on a second star before him. Witnesses included Airmen, family members, friends, and digital forensics experts, with a total of 12 individuals providing testimony.

It is noteworthy that Maj. Gen. Stewart is only the second Air Force general to have ever been court-martialed. Maj. Gen. William Cooley was previously convicted of abusive sexual contact by a military judge in 2022.

Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, the head of Air Education and Training Command, had relieved Stewart from his position as the head of the 19th Air Force, responsible for Air Force pilot training, on May 9, 2023.

Stewart has the option to appeal the court-martial's decision unless an automatic appeal is triggered, according to Air Education and Training Command.

Overall, this court-martial has brought attention to the accountability and conduct standards expected from top-ranking military officers, with some experts raising concerns about the missed opportunity to send a stronger message regarding the higher standards for general officers.