Former defence chiefs have called on the Army to reinstate a warrant officer cleared of selling stolen ammunition.
Kirtland Gill was arrested days after he was appointed as the first black regimental sergeant major of the Coldstream Guards.
He denied any knowledge of a plot to sell 300 bullets for cash and was found not guilty this month.
Yesterday General Sir Richard Dannatt, former head of the Army, said: “I very much hope the Army will be able to discharge its duty of care to this outstanding warrant officer now he has been cleared of any wrongdoing.
“I would very much hope that his career can be put back on its previous track.”
Colonel Richard Kemp, a former infantry commander in Afghanistan, added: “The Army has a duty to make proper restitution to any soldier that has been erroneously charged and suffers a career foul because of it.
“WO Gill should be appointed to a role comparable to the one he was due to commence when he was suspended.”
The 41-year-old was “suspended from duty without prejudice” and his promotion was halted after his arrest.
The WO2 (Warrant Officer Second Class) is a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, was a tutor at Sandhurst military academy and has met the Queen twice.
The son of a fisherman from Jamaica, he lives in Windsor, Berks, with his wife Sashagay, 33, and daughter Hayley.
Colleagues described the charges against him as “nonsense”.
One warrant officer said: “Kirtland has had an unblemished, exemplary military career. I can’t think of a time when he was in any sort of trouble, even as a young soldier, and I have known him for over 15 years.
“Anyone who gets to be an RSM in the Foot Guards has to be at the very top of the profession.
“Kirtland did it as a black soldier from Jamaica. He had to work twice as hard and be twice as good as those around him.
“He often came top in promotion courses or was awarded a distinction.
“He was and still is an inspiration to young soldiers.
“His career has suffered irreparable damage because the assumption is that there is no smoke without fire.”
The Coldstream Guards is part of the Household Division and responsible for protecting the Queen, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
After the MoD announced WO Gill’s promotion in December 2020, he said: “I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to be the next regimental sergeant major.
“It’s not something that’s just given to you because of who you are, it is something you need to achieve.
“Everyone who held this post before me would have gone through the same career path. I don’t think it has much to do with colour.”
Days later he was accused of trying to sell bullets to an undercover police officer. But he was acquitted of conspiracy to sell or transfer ammunition and possessing a prohibited weapon after a three-week trial.
Lance Sergeant Rajon Graham had already admitted selling ammunition and will be sentenced later.
WO Gill said his former friend, 33, had led a “double life”.
The Army said: “WO2 Gill recently attended Southwark crown court and on July 21 was acquitted.”
