Military Justice Actions
The USAF Academy, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Military Justice Division works closely with commanders to handle disciplinary issues. Commanders should consult with the Staff Judge Advocate and the military justice personnel to determine suitable punishments for offenders. We suggest you consult with the Area Defense Counsel at (719) 333-2481, DSN 333-2481 or seek civilian counsel in any criminal matter.
Courts-Martial
Three types of Courts-Martial:
Summary - Involves a simple procedure for disposing of minor incidents. The accused must consent to trial in this forum.
Special - The intermediate level of courts in which the accused can receive no more than six months imprisonment (or a lesser amount if the offense has a lower maximum), forfeiture of two-thirds pay per month for six months, a bad conduct discharge (for enlisted personnel), and certain lesser punishments.
General - The most serious type of court-martial. The maximum punishment is that set for each offense under the MCM, and may include death, confinement, a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge for enlisted personnel, a dismissal for officers, or a number of other forms of punishment. Before this type of case proceeds, a pretrial investigation, or "Article 32 Session" (under Article 32 of the UCMJ) must be conducted, unless waived by the accused.
Nonjudicial Punishments - Article 15 of the UCMJ allows commanders to dispose of certain offenses without trial by court-martial unless the service member objects. Service members first must be notified by their commanders of the nature of the charged offense, the evidence supporting the offense and of the commander's intent to impose nonjudicial punishment. The service member may then consult with a defense counsel to determine whether to accept nonjudicial punishment proceedings or demand trial by court-martial. Accepting Article 15 proceedings is not an admission of guilt; it is simply a choice of forum.
Administrative Discharges - Military personnel may be administratively removed from active duty service for a number of reasons, including, but not limited to improper weight management, a pattern of minor disciplinary infractions and homosexual conduct. Three forms of discharge are available: Honorable, General Under Honorable Conditions, and Under Other than Honorable Conditions (UOTHC). Each discharge differs in severity.
Other Disciplinary Actions - Letters of admonishment (LOA), counseling (LOC) or reprimand (LOR); verbal reprimand or admonition; establishing an Unfavorable Information File (UIF); placing the individual on a control roster; or utilizing other disciplinary tools to manage their troops are other disciplinary actions available to the commander. Judge Advocates review such documents or procedures for legal sufficiency of content and format.
Other Disciplinary Actions - Letters of admonishment (LOA), counseling (LOC) or reprimand (LOR); verbal reprimand or admonition; establishing an Unfavorable Information File (UIF); placing the individual on a control roster; or utilizing other disciplinary tools to manage their troops are other disciplinary actions available to the commander. Judge Advocates review such documents or procedures for legal sufficiency of content and format.
Office Hours
Duty Hours: 0730-1630 daily
Harmon Hall
2304 Cadet Dr. Ste 2100
USAF Academy, CO 80840
Comm: (719) 333-3642
DSN: 333-3642
Fax: (719) 333-3644
USAF Academy, CO 80840
Comm: (719) 333-3642
DSN: 333-3642
Fax: (719) 333-3644