What is the UCMJ Article 15?

The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) Article 15 is a law that governs the United States military. It is a code of military criminal law and addresses the rights of service members accused of wrongdoing within the military. This article sets forth the rules and regulations related to non-judicial punishment or “administrative discipline”. Article 15 allows commanding officers to take disciplinary action against a service member without the need for a court-martial. This type of punishment may include restrictions on certain privileges, extra duties, reduction in rank, forfeiture of pay, and other forms of corrective action. Under Virginia law, commanding officers are granted the authority to punish military personnel accused of violating the UCMJ. However, service members facing disciplinary action have the right to reject the punishment or demand a court-martial. If the service member rejects the proposed punishment, the commanding officer must either drop the charges or refer the case to a court-martial. The article also outlines the procedures that must be followed by the commanding officer if non-judicial punishment is administered. These procedures include notification of the service member of the results of the investigation, the opportunity to make an unsworn statement to the commanding officer, the right to appeal the punishment, and the right to request a court-martial. In summary, Article 15 of the UCMJ is an important law that governs the military justice system in Virginia. It sets forth the rules and regulations related to non-judicial punishment and outlines the procedures that must be followed by commanding officers if such punishment is administered.

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What is the UCMJ Article 15?

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