A Joint Base Lewis-McChord commander accused of assaulting his wife and getting into a standoff with police is being honorably discharged, according to court records.
Col. Owen Ray's "retirement in lieu of elimination" takes effect Sept. 30, according to an Army memorandum dated July 2 and filed in Pierce County Superior Court last month.
"You will be given a Separation Program Designator Code of RNC with a Characterization of Service noted as Honorable," the memo said.
The separation code RNC means "unacceptable conduct," the Army Times reported in an article about Ray's discharge.
The memo from Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Michael T. Mahoney said: "The Army Grade Determination Review Board has reviewed the Retirement in Lieu of Elimination, based on misconduct and moral or professional dereliction ... and derogatory information."
It went on to say: "... I approve his Retirement in Lieu of Elimination, and he will be placed in the Retired List in his current grade of O-6 (Colonel)."
His pay will be at that rank, the memo said.
Charging papers alleged Ray got into a standoff with police Dec. 27 and threatened to kill himself after he pointed a gun at his wife and kicked her in the face and chest in front of their children at their home in DuPont.
Ray, 47, was suspended as chief of staff of I Corps not long after, The News Tribune reported.
Prosecutors charged him with first-degree kidnapping, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of felony harassment and reckless endangerment. He awaits trial.
Defense attorney Jared Ausserer told the Army Times that prosecutors "have been unwilling to acknowledge that the PTSD components of Col. Ray's service have any impact on this case whatsoever, and they're treating him very differently than a civilian. I have multiple clients who are charged with very similar conduct who are getting misdemeanors."
Ray led 1st Special Forces Group at JBLM until he became I Corps chief of staff in July 2020.
