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More Than 20 Years Of Active Duty Military Service
If military personnel commit crimes they must also go to trial as civilians do. However, they also may face charges in a court-martial, the military’s version of a criminal trial, which has specific rules and regulations. If you are a military member facing criminal...
The origins of the U.S. military justice system involved soldiers disciplined during wartime. Commanders possessed the unlimited authority to punish offenders up to the level of criminal prosecution. Recently implemented reforms revamped the U.S. military justice...
Most American adults have been called to jury duty or at least understand the general concept. As is often the case with military law, the jury selection process works differently. Rather than a 12-person jury of peers selected from a random pool of jurors, the...
The Pentagon announced a formal end to the mandated COVID-19 vaccination of military personnel on January 10, 2023. The vaccination rule went into effect on August 21, 2021, for active service members and November 30 for National Guard and reserves. The rollback was...
Sikhs have served in the U.S. military for decades. Over that time, the military has allowed more significant variances in allowing Sikh personnel to wear turbans, long hair and beards as is the religious custom. The Marines were the lone holdout, telling three Sikhs...
More than a dozen states, including California, have taken steps to legalize or decriminalize some recreational drug use. Federal laws, on the other hand, have not followed suit. For military personnel, this means even minor offenses are a serious problem. Article...
Just as not all criminal offenses lead to a jail sentence, not all disciplinary actions involve a court martial. These so-called lesser offenses can still harm your career and adversely impact your life, and the accused should take them very seriously. As part of all...
The infamous Question 21 of the security clearance form (SF-86) once asked if the applicant had sought help from mental health professional within the last seven. Saying yes was a red flag and even caused at least one person to leave the military rather than answer...
DUI is a major ongoing concern with law enforcement and officials across the country, so it is no surprise that military bases worldwide are also concerned about it. Whether it is personnel stationed on the base, contractors or military family members, the issue of...
Because they are obliged to follow the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and standard laws that apply to everyone in the country, our service members face a more complicated criminal law system than the average U.S. resident. Thus, it is no surprise that the...