Eight Airmen receive nonjudicial punishment in fourth quarter of 2012

  • Published
  • By Capt. Nick Reyes
  • Staff Judge Advocate Office
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  A nonjudicial punishment, or Article 15, is a tool that provides commanders with an essential and swift means of maintaining good order and discipline. It also promotes behavior changes in service members without the stigma of a court-martial conviction.

The following Article 15s were processed at Edwards Air Force Base during the fourth quarter of 2012:

- An airman first class was derelict in the performance of his duties, in violation of Article 92, Uniform Code of Military Justice. The commander imposed the following punishment: suspended reduction to grade of Airman, 45 days extra duty, 30 days restriction to Edwards AFB, and a reprimand. The suspended reduction in rank was vacated when the airman later made a false official statement, in violation of Article 107, UCMJ.

- An airman first class was absent without leave, in violation of Article 86, UCMJ. The commander imposed the following punishment: reduction to the grade of airman, suspended forfeiture of $835.00 pay per month for two months, 30 days extra duty, and a reprimand.

- A senior airman operated a passenger truck while drunk, in violation of Article 111, UCMJ. The commander imposed the following punishment: reduction to the grade of airman first class, suspended forfeiture of $934.00 pay per month for two months, 30 days extra duty, and a reprimand.

- A senior airman failed to properly file a police report, a willful dereliction of his duties, in violation of Article 92, UCMJ. The commander imposed the following punishment: suspended reduction to the grade of airman first class, 30 days extra duty, and a reprimand. The suspended reduction in rank was later vacated when the airman wrongfully used marijuana in violation of Article 112a, UCMJ.

- An airman first class willfully misused his government travel card, in violation of Article 92, UCMJ. The commander imposed the following punishment: reduction to the grade of airman, suspended forfeiture of $835.00 pay per month for two months, 45 days restriction to Edwards AFB, 30 days extra duty, and a reprimand.

- An airman basic consumed alcohol underage in violation of Article 134, UCMJ. The commander imposed the following punishment: 45 days restriction to Edwards AFB, 45 days extra duty, and a reprimand.

- A major plagiarized a paper in his Air Command and Staff College's Master's Program and made a false official statement regarding his plagiarism, in violation of Articles 92 and 107, UCMJ. The commander imposed the following punishment: forfeitures of $3,369.00 pay per month for two months, and a reprimand.

- A staff sergeant wrongfully developed a personal relationship with a recruit, and sent a recruit inappropriate pictures, in violation of Article 92, UCMJ. The commander imposed the following punishment: Reduction to the grade of senior airman, suspended forfeiture of $590.00 pay per month for 2 months, and a reprimand.

A suspension is the postponement of the application of all or part of the punishment for a specific probationary period. The punishment will be automatically remitted at the end of that period, if the member does not violate the conditions of his or her suspension or any other article of the UCMJ.