The former commander of the 39th Medical Group at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey has been charged with sexual assault, and is scheduled to face a court-martial beginning in late March.

Col. Sean McNamara, currently of the 316th Medical Support Squadron at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, is facing three specifications of violating Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

According to the charge sheet in the case, which Andrews released at Air Force Times’ request, McNamara is accused of groping the breast and genitals of an unidentified woman, without her consent, to satisfy his own sexual desire. The incident allegedly took place at or near Leesburg, Virginia, on or about Dec. 4, 2019.

At the time, McNamara was commander of the 39th Medical Group, according to information released by the Air Force Personnel Center. McNamara was moved to the 11th Medical Support Squadron at Andrews in January 2020, and then to the 316th in June.

McNamara’s court-martial is scheduled to begin March 29 and expected to end April 3.

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In a statement, a spokesperson for Andrews said that charges of sexual assault were referred against McNamara on Oct. 2.

The Air Force began investigating McNamara in December 2019, shortly after the alleged misconduct occurred, after the alleged victim spoke to a Sexual Assault Prevention Response advocate, the spokesman said. The information was soon turned over to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and an Article 32 preliminary hearing was held to review the case before the Air Force referred charges.

“The Air Force takes allegations of misconduct very seriously regardless of rank,” the spokesperson said. “However, airmen are presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the process.”

McNamara is a pharmacist who entered active duty in January 2003.

Efforts by Air Force Times to contact McNamara or his attorneys were unsuccessful.

Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.

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