WASHINGTON – The Air Force says the general fired last fall as commander of the nuclear missile corps will retire at a lower rank, reflecting the embarrassment he caused with alcohol-fueled misbehavior during a trip to Russia.
Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James approved Michael Carey's request to be retired. But she decided he would retire at the one-star rank of brigadier general, rather than as a two-star major general. Friday will be his last day on duty.
Carey had served as a major general since November 2011 and since June 2012 had commanded 20th Air Force, with responsibility for all 450 of the Air Force's Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missiles. He was fired from that command last October and served since then as a staff officer at Air Force Space Command.
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