What is the UCMJ Article 134a?

The Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) Article 134a, is a federal law which applies to members of the United States Armed Forces. This article governs criminal offenses under military jurisdiction. Article 134a explains that all criminal offenses are divided into two categories, conspiracies and offenses. A conspiracy is a plan or agreement by two or more people to commit a crime. Offenses are wrongful acts or omissions by a service member that are punishable under the UCMJ. Article 134a also constitutes as a "catch-all" provision, as it allows for punishments for offenses that are not specifically mentioned elsewhere in the UCMJ. This article states that "any other offense not capital, which is punishable under the law of the state in which the offense was committed by a civilian, shall be punished as a court-martial may direct." This means that if a service member commits a crime that does not fall under a specific article of the UCMJ, they can still be tried and punished under this article. In California, the punishments for article 134a depend on the severity of the crime. If found guilty of a misdemeanor offense, the service member could be sentenced to correctional custody, forfeitures, confinement, or a combination of the three. The sentence for a felony offense could include a death penalty or the forfeiture of all pay and allowances, dishonorable discharge, and more.

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What is the UCMJ Article 134a?

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