The Air Force is conducting a sexual assault investigation of a retired four-star general who was active at the time of the incident.

The probe is looking into the actions of Gen. Arthur Lichte, who retired as the commander of Air Mobility Command in 2009, the Air Force confirmed to the Washington Examiner on Friday.

"We are aware of the allegations and will conduct a thorough investigation," said Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek. She said that because the investigation is ongoing, "it would be inappropriate to comment further."

She did add that the Air Force "takes all allegations of sexual assault or harassment very seriously."

"We are committed to upholding the high standards and values of our service and ensuring an environment of dignity and respect, where sexual assault or harassment is not tolerated, and where there is clear accountability placed on all Airmen at every level," Stefanek said.

The Pentagon released a report in May that found 6,083 reports of sexual assault in fiscal 2015, which represented a slight drop from the previous year.