Colonel steps down over ‘pretty’ soldiers comment

An Army colonel who lobbied to keep “pretty” female soldiers out of promotions has stepped down, according to media reports.

Col. Lynette Arnhart, who had been running a program on how to integrate women into combat, argued that Army promos should use more “average-looking women.”

{mosads}The officer that Arnhart made that argument to in an e-mail, Col. Christian Kubik, has been suspended, media reports add.

In that email, Arnhart contended that “pretty women” were seen as having used their looks to get ahead, while more unattractive women were viewed as having more competence.

An Army spokesman told media outlets this week that Arnhart stepped down “in order to protect the integrity of the ongoing work on gender integration in the Army.” Kubik has been suspended pending an investigation.