WASHINGTON: The top US general responsible for training the Afghan military and his deputy tried to impede their staff from contacting investigators about patient abuse at the largest military hospital in that country, according to the Pentagon’s inspector general.

The two generals sought in 2011 to restrict contact with a team of investigators probing allegations of corruption and sub-standard patient care — including the starving of Afghan military patients and filthy conditions — at Dawood National Military Hospital, according to an inspector general’s report obtained by Bloomberg News.

Army Secretary John McHugh should “take appropriate action against” Lt Gen William Caldwell, who has since retired, and his deputy, Maj Gen Gary Patton, who now heads the Pentagon’s sexual-assault prevention office, the inspector general said in the Aug 13 report.

The generals “attempted to limit” contacts and “required all communications” with the inspector general “be approved prior to release”, the report found.

They acted after the training command’s own inspector general submitted a seven-page assessment in February 2011 documenting sub-standard patient care to the investigating team without the general’s knowledge.

While Caldwell has retired, he could be handed a reprimand and a demotion in rank that would result in reduced retirement benefits. Patton, who was cited for forwarding one of Caldwell’s emails ordering limits on outside contacts, also could face a reduction in rank or a reprimand.

Caldwell declined to comment for this story, according to army spokesman George Wright. Patton also declined to comment.

The report marks the fifth time this year that the defence department’s inspector general said it substantiated allegations of misconduct or abusive management style by senior army officers. The previous cases involved officers in South Korea, the US Africa Command, the US Military Academy at West Point and the Missile Defence Agency.

By arrangement with Washington Post-Bloomberg News Service