The two-star general in charge of the Army War College is under investigation by CID special agents after an allegation of “inappropriate touching” was made against him, according to the service.
Maj. Gen. Stephen J. Maranian was suspended Feb. 9 from his position leading the graduate-level educational institution for military leaders in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
The allegation against Maranian is “unrelated to his current position,” said Army spokeswoman Cynthia O. Smith. The Army announced Maranian’s suspension earlier this month, but the reason for the adverse action was not disclosed until Thursday.
“As this allegation is currently under investigation by Special Agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigative Command, no further information will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the investigative process,” Smith said in a statement.
“These are allegations at this time and MG Maranian is presumed innocent until and if proven otherwise,” the statement added.
Task and Purpose reported Thursday that a protective order was issued in early February against Maranian because of a CID investigation into abusive sexual contact with an Army civilian.
Sexual misconduct within the Army has come under further scrutiny following the Dec. 8 release of a report on Fort Hood, Texas, sparked by the death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen and the sexual harassment allegations her family brought forth on her behalf.
An independent committee found that an environment at Fort Hood allowed sexual assault and harassment to proliferate. Committee members warned that the problems they found at that post may exist elsewhere in the force.
While Maranian is under suspension, the number two officer within the Army Corps of Engineers, Maj. Gen. David C. Hill, will serve as the acting commandant for the Army War College.
Maranian has been in charge of the institution since July, according to his official biography.
He previously served as a deputy commanding general for 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Casey, South Korea, and the commandant of the Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Maranian was commissioned in 1988 as a field artillery officer after graduating from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.
Kyle Rempfer was an editor and reporter who has covered combat operations, criminal cases, foreign military assistance and training accidents. Before entering journalism, Kyle served in U.S. Air Force Special Tactics and deployed in 2014 to Paktika Province, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq.
