Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Monday that Courtney Carr, leader of the Indiana National Guard, is resigning, days after a woman said in a lawsuit that Carr retaliated against her for reporting his alleged affair with a subordinate.

"Upon my recommendation, Maj. Gen. Carr has announced his decision to retire,” Holcomb said in a press release. “I received his resignation letter Saturday, and I thanked him for his service to our state and country."

Carr's resignation is effective Aug. 16, Holcomb said. Holcomb's office declined to comment on the lawsuit when reached by IndyStar.

The announcement of Carr's resignation comes days after a former contractor for the Indiana National Guard said in a lawsuit that Carr retaliated against her after she reported that he was having an affair with a subordinate.

Shari McLaughlin, according to a complaint filed Aug. 1 in Marion Superior Court, told a colonel with the Indiana National Guard Inspector General in May 2018 that Carr was having an affair with a woman who worked at the same company as McLaughlin, and was McLaughlin's mentor.

The colonel was interviewing McLaughlin as part of an investigation into two other alleged affairs within the Indiana National Guard, according to the complaint.

Carr and the woman became aware that McLaughlin told the colonel about their affair, according to the complaint. They then "embarked on a program of retaliation" against McLaughlin, according to the complaint, which included watching McLaughlin and demanding she tell her supervisor when she wasn't in her office.

McLaughlin resigned from her position on July 6, 2018, the complaint says, after "realizing that the retaliation and intimidation would not stop."

The following month, McLaughlin got a job with another company that contracted with the Indiana National Guard, according to the complaint. In September 2018, Carr contacted the company, saying the Indiana National Guard would decline one of the company's services if it was run by McLaughlin, according to the complaint.

McLaughlin was "unfit to represent the state," Carr told the company, according to the complaint. McLaughlin was subsequently fired, the complaint says.

McLaughlin seeks damages resulting from Carr's "malicious" conduct, according to the complaint.

In a statement from the Indiana National Guard, Carr thanked Holcomb for the opportunity to serve as adjutant general.

Carr has served as leader of the Indiana National Guard since 2015. He replaced Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, who retired after 11 years in the position.

Brig. Gen. Timothy Winslow will serve as the interim Adjutant General, Holcomb said.

Andrew Clark is a reporter for IndyStar. Call him at 317-444-6484 or email him at andrew.clark@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Clarky_Tweets.