(MCT) — WASHINGTON — Gen. John Allen, the top commander in Afghanistan until 10 days ago, will retire from the Marine Corps to help care for his ailing wife rather than accept a White House nomination to be supreme allied commander at NATO, one of the Pentagon’s most prestigious positions.

The Pentagon inspector general cleared Allen last month of misconduct in connection with hundreds of emails he exchanged with a Florida socialite who cultivated ties with senior military commanders. The probe had put his promotion on hold since November.