By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – Major General Mark Bowen has resigned as the commanding general of the Alabama National Guard.
His resignation on Thursday came a day after the Army released a report that Bowen had an improper relationship with a female officer in his command.
Governor Riley said in a news release he had accepted Bowen's resignation. But he did not mention the report from the Army Inspector General's office.
The governor said Wednesday that Bowen told him earlier that he planned to retire and that he would not ask Bowen to step down immediately because of the report.
Bowen and Riley are both from Clay County.
The report was released this week by the Army. It concludes that Bowen had a relationship with the female officer that included visits by Bowen to her home, more than 700 phone calls over five months last year and Bowen giving the woman financial assistance.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)