Court martial: Lieutenant Colonel who had affair with subordinate demoted to major

Lieutenant Colonel Justin Putze is now engaged to Captain Carolyne Cappola, the woman he had an affair with on deployment. Photo / Facebook

A disgraced senior army officer who started an affair with a subordinate while on deployment has been sentenced by a court martial.

Lieutenant Colonel Justin Putze was found guilty yesterday by a panel of military members of four charges relating to the relationship.

He breached orders by entering into a relationship with his subordinate, failing to report the relationship, showing a public display of affection with the woman, and lying to a superior about the relationship.

Putze was the Senior National Officer in command of the New Zealand contingent in the Sinai at the time of the deployment in 2018. The contingent's job was to maintain stability on the border between Israel and Egypt.

Despite being married at the time, Putze and his subordinate, Captain Carolyne Cappola, began a close personal relationship where he provided emotional support as she dealt with her own failing marriage.

Lieutenant Colonel Justin Putze on trial in a court martial in Upper Hutt this week. Photo / Melissa Nightingale

The pair ended up having a one night stand in March 2018. While they both denied pursuing a relationship at that time, other members of the contingent said they witnessed the pair seemed close, and said they saw them kiss at a bar in Dubai.

The panel of military members found that Putze and Cappola were in a relationship.

According to New Zealand's highest ranking army officer, Chief of Army Major General John Boswell, entering into relationships with subordinates on deployment "strikes at the very heart of a commander's responsibilities when they are in charge of a mission of that nature".

"[You must make sure] you're not putting yourself in a position where you're in any way compromising your appointment by potentially showing favour to a member of the contingent."

Putze needed to "maintain an environment where you're prepared to put people under your command in harm's way for the success of the mission".

Boswell gave evidence that when he was a brigadier in 2018, he spoke to Putze about rumours of inappropriate behaviour, and said Putze clearly told him there had been no behaviour of an inappropriate or sexual nature.

This was the basis of the charge of lying to his superior.

In sentencing today at the court martial in Upper Hutt, Trentham, defence counsel Commander Christopher Briggs said the incident was "an aberration in this officer's otherwise exemplary career".

He said the significant time Putze spent living apart from his wife due to work placed "an enormous strain on this outstanding officer", which could have contributed to his actions.

Prosecutor Colonel Craig Ruane said the offending was an abuse of rank and a wilful breach of orders, and that Putze took advantage of Cappola's vulnerability as she struggled with her marriage breakdown.

He argued Putze should be dismissed from the army.

Judge Duncan Harvey said Putze's offending, given his background, was "inexplicable" and caused the court "real concern". He said it was "extremely serious".

But the court acknowledged it was "grossly out of character" and occurred during "a very unfortunate aligning of stars".

At the time of the offending, Putze had spend several of the past five years apart from his wife and kids.

"Having demanded and expected so much of you in the past, the army now needs to assist you to rebuild," the judge said.

"You are in many, many ways a fine officer and a credit to the army. You have made some appalling mistakes, mistakes that are almost inexplicable. But they are also mistakes that you are unlikely to ever repeat again."

The court demoted Putze to major, and ordered a severe reprimand be attached to his record.