Five Airmen receive Article 15 non-judicial punishment during second quarter

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Misty Flores
  • Air Force Flight Test Center, Judge Advocate
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Commanders imposed punishment on five Airmen under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice at Edwards during the second quarter of 2011.

Nonjudicial punishment is a tool that provides commanders with an essential and swift means of maintaining good order and discipline. It also promotes behavior changes in servicemembers without the stigma of a court-martial conviction.

Article 15 punishment is ordinarily offered for less serious violations of the UCMJ. If a commander believes an Airman has committed a specific offense or offenses under the UCMJ, he or she will administer appropriate punishment.

The following Article 15s were processed at Edwards during the second quarter of 2011:

An airman first class, without authority, failed to go at the time prescribed to his appointed place of duty, in violation of Article 86, Uniform Code of Military Justice. The commander imposed the following punishment: reduction to the grade of Airman, suspended forfeiture of $822.00 pay per month for 2 months, 15 days extra duty and a reprimand.

An airman first class, without authority, failed to go at the time prescribed to her appointed place of duty, in violation of Article 86, UCMJ. The commander imposed the following punishment: reduction to the grade of Airman, 15 days extra duty, 15 days restriction to the limits of Edwards AFB and a reprimand.

An airman, without authority, absented herself from her place of duty on numerous occasions and wrongfully solicited an active duty military member to make a false official statement, in violation of Articles 86 and 134, UCMJ. The commander imposed the following punishment: reduction to the grade of airman basic, 30 days extra duty; 30 days restriction to the limits of Edwards AFB and a reprimand.

An airman first class wrongfully drove a vehicle upon a highway in willful disregard for the safety of persons or property, in violation of California Vehicle Code, Section 23103, assimilated into Federal law by 18 United States Code, Section 13. The commander imposed the following punishment: suspended reduction to the grade of airman, forfeiture of $822.00, 30 days extra duty, 15 days restriction to the limits of Edwards AFB and a reprimand.

An airman first class wrongfully drove a vehicle upon a highway in willful disregard for the safety of persons or property, in violation of California Vehicle Code, Section 23103, assimilated into federal law by 18 United States Code, Section 13. The commander imposed the following punishment: suspended reduction to the grade of airman, 45 days extra duty and a reprimand.

The maximum punishment is set by congress and set forth in the Manual for Courts-Martial; however, individual punishments are up to the discretion of the issuing Commander. Occasionally, in the case of persuasive extenuating or mitigating circumstances or first-time offenders, a suspension may be granted to the offender. 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 canceled at the end of the probationary period so long as the member does not violate the conditions of his or her suspension or any other article of the UCMJ.