One of the UK’s highest ranking military figures based in Afghanistan was sent back from tour early after sharing a bottle of champagne with his colleagues, it has been reported.
Military commentator Maj Gen Charlie Herbert OBE was assigned a post in Kabul in June 2017 to serve as a deputy advisor to the ministry of interior – the government department in charge of law enforcement, civil order and fighting crime.
As part of his role, he trained and mentored senior Afghan officials which included having meetings with government officials. He would also help create better links between other government departments.
The Major’s role was meant to last 12 months but he reportedly came back to Britain three months before the end of the contract after a complaint was made about his behaviour, according to the Telegraph.
It alleged he used inappropriate language and conduct in the workplace which is said to have included hosting parties at the British embassy and drinking booze openly with Afghan colleagues.
Military commentator Maj Gen Charlie Herbert OBE was assigned a post in Kabul in June 2017 to serve as a deputy advisor to the ministry of interior
The Major’s role was meant to last 12 months but he came back to Britain three months before the end of the contract after a complaint was made about his behaviour
When back in the UK, the Maj General took up a position at the defence academy in Swindon before retiring from the army completely in 2019
When back in the UK, he took up a position at the defence academy in Swindon before retiring from the army completely in 2019.
He has since become a commentator on military affairs including the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Maj Gen Herbert told the paper he was ‘short-toured’ because he ‘shared a bottle of champagne’ with work colleagues, which led him to move post. He said the other complaints were probed and thrown out.
He said: ‘After investigation by the British Army, the allegations referred to were found to be unproven and vexatious with the exception of a single one that I shared a bottle of champagne with some work colleagues, in breach of a US rule on the consumption of alcohol.’
The top army senior said he was cleared of the other allegation and ‘continued to serve with the Army for another 18 months before leaving voluntarily to take up a new role supporting the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in Somalia’.
An Army spokesman told : ‘Soldiers at all levels of the British Army are held to the highest standards. If any individual fails to meet these standards, appropriate action is taken.’
The major was in Afghanistan while the US was leading western efforts to try and stabalise the country so the country could eventually operate without the assistance of NATO.
However, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, 20 years after it was removed from power by the US-led military.