Franklin commanded a test and evaluation group and three wings, including the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing based at Balad Air Base, Iraq.

[1][2] Franklin submitted his retirement to be effective 31 January 2014.

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.