Craig A. Franklin

{{short description|United States Air Force general}}

{{Infobox military person

|name= Craig A. Franklin

|image= Maj_Gen_Craig_A._Franklin.jpg

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|caption= Then-Lieutenant General Craig A. Franklin

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|allegiance= United States

|branch= United States Air Force

|serviceyears= 1981–2014

|rank= Lieutenant General
(Retired as Major General)

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|commands= Third Air Force
53rd Wing
31st Fighter Wing
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing

|battles= Iraq War

|awards= Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal (2)
Legion of Merit (2)
Bronze Star Medal (2)

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Craig A. Franklin is a former United States Air Force lieutenant general who last served as the commander of Third Air Force, based at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. A 1981 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, Franklin served in flying assignments, instructor pilot assignments, as well as multiple staff assignments. Franklin commanded a test and evaluation group and three wings, including the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing based at Balad Air Base, Iraq.{{cite web|title=Lieutenant General Craig A. Franklin|url=https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/108770/lieutenant-general-craig-a-franklin/|publisher=United States Air Force|access-date=9 January 2014}}{{cite web |work=New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/30/magazine/the-militarys-rough-justice-on-sexual-assault.html?ref=magazine&_r=1 |title=The Military's Rough Justice on Sexual Assault |date=November 30, 2014 |author=Robert Draper}}

Franklin submitted his retirement to be effective 31 January 2014. His early retirement resulted in a reduction in retirement rank to the two-star rank of major general. This is as a direct result of Franklin's dismissal of a sexual assault case in February 2013 after the officer in question, a lieutenant colonel, had been found guilty at a court martial in November 2012. The officer was subsequently released from prison and restored to his rank, only to be forced into retirement at a lower rank after the discovery of further sexual misconduct. In a statement Franklin said, "he was retiring 'for the good of this command and the Air Force' because of persistent doubts about his impartiality in overseeing sex-abuse investigations."{{cite news|last=Whitlock|first=Craig|title=Air Force general to retire after criticism for handling of sexual-assault case|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/air-force-general-criticized-for-handling-of-sexual-assault-cases-to-retire/2014/01/08/9942df96-787d-11e3-b1c5-739e63e9c9a7_story.html|accessdate=9 January 2014|newspaper=Washington Post|date=8 January 2014}} He officially retired on April 1, 2014.