Better Administration of the Military's Article 15 Punishments for Minor Offenses Is Needed

Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice is intended to give military commanders a swift, efficient, and easy way to: (1) punish those committing minor offenses; (2) maintain discipline; and (3) deter misconduct. The punishments authorized for article 15 are limited and generally less severe than those that can be imposed by court-martial. Also, unlike a court-martial, an article 15 is not considered a conviction for a criminal offense. However, problems have occurred with the use, implementation, and oversight of article 15. As a result, the maximum benefits possible from its use are not being realized.