Feb-March Articles 15

  • Published
  • By 5th Bomb Wing Legal Office
  • 5th Bomb Wing Legal Office
A vast majority of members of Team Minot will never have to experience the non-judicial punishment process pursuant to Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). However, it is important for members to understand the different types of misconduct that can warrant non-judicial punishment and how commanders can punish.

Under Article 15 of the UCMJ, all commanders may initiate non-judicial punishment. The member is given the right to accept non-judicial punishment or demand trial by court-martial. If the member accepts the Article 15 process they are provided an opportunity to respond before guilt and punishment is determined by the commander.
After the commander reviews the member’s submitted matters, the circumstances of the offense, any factors in mitigation or extenuation, and the member’s history of misconduct (if any), the commander will then determine guilt or innocence, and if found guilty, an appropriate punishment.

The maximum punishment for an Article 15 action depends on the rank of the member being punished and the rank of the officer imposing punishment. Typical punishments include, but are not limited to, reduction in rank, forfeitures of pay, extra duties, restriction to base and a reprimand. The enlisted punishments can change depending on whether the accused is an officer or enlisted member because officers cannot be demoted in rank. The commander can also choose to suspend a portion of the punishment. The suspended punishment acts as a probation period for no more than six months. If the member commits further misconduct, the suspended punishment can be vacated, meaning the suspended punishment will take effect.
For the months of February and March 2017, the Minot AFB Legal Office processed 15 Articles 15. Listed below are short summaries of the cases to inform the base community of the types of conducts which can be appropriate for non-judicial punishment and the potential severity of punishment.

1. A First Lieutenant from the 791st Maintenance Squadron received a forfeiture of $1000.00 pay per month for two months and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 107, Signing a false official statement.

2. A Technical Sergeant from the 705th Munitions Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Staff Sergeant suspended, forfeiture of $1616.00 pay per month for two months, and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 92, Failure to obey a lawful order and one specification in violation of Article 107, False official statement.

3. A Senior Airman from the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman First Class, forfeiture of $1,002.00 pay per month for two months suspended, restriction to the limits of Minot AFB for 30 days with 15 days suspended and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 92, Willful Dereliction of duty.
4. A Senior Airman from the 5th Maintenance Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman First Class with a reduction to Airman suspended, forfeiture of $896.00 pay per month for two months suspended, 45 days of extra duty suspended and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 92, Failure to obey a lawful order.

5. A Senior Airman from the 5th Maintenance Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman Basic, forfeiture of $799.00 pay for one month suspended, 45 days of extra duty suspended and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 112a, Wrongful use of marijuana.


6. A Senior Airman from the 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman First Class with a reduction to the grade of Airman suspended and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 92, Dereliction of duty, one specification in violation of Article 107, False official statement and one specification in violation of Article 115, Malingering.

7. A Senior Airman from the 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman First Class suspended, forfeiture of $1,062.00 pay for one month and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 134, Drunk and disorderly.


8. A Senior Airman from the 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman First Class and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 107, False official statement.

9. A Senior Airman from the 91st Operations Support Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman First Class suspended, forfeiture of $1002.00 pay for one month suspended and 15 days of extra duty suspended, all conditional upon the completion of anger management and financial management for one specification in violation of Article 128, Assault consummated by a battery.


10. An Airman First Class from the 5th Civil Engineering Squadron received reduction to the grade of Airman suspended, forfeiture of $896.00 pay per month for two months with one month suspended, restriction to the limits of Minot AFB 10 days and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 92, Willful Dereliction of duty.

11. An Airman First Class from the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron received reduction to the grade of Airman, forfeiture of $896.00 pay for one month suspended and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 92, Willful Dereliction of duty.
12. An Airman First Class from the 5th Maintenance Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman Basic, forfeiture of $799.00 pay for one month suspended, 45 days of extra duty suspended and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 112a, Wrongful use of marijuana.

13. An Airman First Class from the 5th Maintenance Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman Basic, forfeiture of $799.00 pay for one month suspended, 45 days of extra duty suspended and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 112a, Wrongful use of marijuana.

14. An Airman First Class from the 5th Security Forces Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman suspended, forfeiture of $896.00 pay per month for 2 months and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 92, Negligent Dereliction of duty.

15. An Airman First Class from the 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron received a reduction to the grade of Airman suspended, forfeiture of $896.00 pay per month for two months and a reprimand for one specification in violation of Article 107, False official statement and one specification in violation of Article 80, attempted wrongful photography of a victim’s private area.